The minister of state for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, says Nigeria has more than 200 million people at the risk of one Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) or the other.

He made the disclosure Monday in Abuja during the 2025 World NTD day.

He said there were about 165 million people needing preventive chemotherapy for at least one NTDs in the country.

He said, “Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) as we all know are both communicable and non-communicable diseases, mostly prevalent in children and women and largely associated with poverty, poor sanitation, unsafe water supply, and substandard housing conditions.

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“Globally, over one billion (12.5% of world population) people are affected with NTDs across 149 countries (76% of all countries) with Africa bearing about half of the global burden and Nigeria accounting for about 25% of the cases in the continent.”

He said the London declaration of 2013 which was followed by the Kigali Declaration of 2019 for the African continent committed Nigeria to work with other countries of the world to eliminate NTDs.

This declaration, he said focuses on eight (8) points agenda which includes government commitment cum accountability, integration of NTDs with other services and resource mobilization.

The minister said that in addition to these declarations, the World Health Organization ( WHO) has also produced an NTDs road map 2021 – 2030 as an ambitious blueprint for the elimination of NTDs globally.

He said the roll out of the ten years NTDs road map for 2021 – 2030 by the WHO sets ambitious targets and innovative approaches to tackle NTDs and provides a blueprint for global elimination.

“The plan promotes an integrated approach to deliver programmes with emphasis on three significant pathways: moving from process to impact measuring for accountability, putting in place effective multi-sectoral integrative approach across NTDs and promoting country ownership cum political commitment for sustainability,” he stated.

He also said that Nigeria is one of the few endemic countries that have developed and reviewed their NTDs master-plan 2023 – 2027, noting that it is being used as an advocacy tool by all stakeholders towards the attainment of the 2030 target.

The minister further said that some of the progress that have been made by Nigeria over the years include eradication of Guinea Worm in 2013, weaning of 29 million people of ivermectin treatment in 10 transmission zones (States) in the country, elimination of Onchocerciasis in two states (Plateau, Nassarawa) and interruption of transmission in addition eight states (Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Delta, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Anambra).

Others are about 39.5 million people across 20 States and FCT no longer requiring Lymphatic Filariasis treatment, and reduction prevalence in at-risk population of trachoma infection by 84%.

The Country Director of CBM Global Nigeria, Abdulazeez Musa said it was important to renew resolve to prioritize the most vulnerable, especially persons with disabilities, who are disproportionately affected by NTDs.

He said, “Let us ensure that our strategies are inclusive, empowering individuals and communities to take charge of their health and futures.”

He commended the government for its leadership and urged continued investment in health systems.

The National President of the Integration Dignity and Economic Advancement (IDEA-Nigeria), Peter Iorkighir Terver, said there was a delay in Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) supply for leprosy patients in the country.

He said this has further affected over 3,000 diagnosed individuals, including 800 children, without the medication they urgently need.