Moyo health workers take on tropical diseases

Apr 03, 2012

The health officials and community leaders in Moyo district have laid strategies to carry out massive campaigns on neglected tropical disease which have affected the local communities in the rural areas.

By Andrew Amvesi    
The health officials and community leaders in Moyo district have laid strategies to carry out massive campaigns on neglected tropical disease which have affected the local communities in the rural areas.

 The move is aimed at fighting neglected tropical diseases such as sleeping sickness, trachoma, elephantiasis and Bilharzias that have affected most communities especially along river banks and near forested areas.
 
During a sensitization and advocacy meeting that was held at Moyo district headquarters on Friday, the Vector control officer, Nicholas Onwong, said most people in rural areas are at a higher risk of contracting the diseases due to the nature of their settlement.

“Majority of us opted to settle along river banks and in forested areas for reasons of easy cultivation without knowing that parasites which transmit tropical neglected diseases also live with us,” Onwong asserted.

He urged such community members to visit health units and community based medicine distributors for drugs in an effort to fight tropical neglected diseases in the district.

“We should improve on our personal hygiene, clear bushes around our homesteads and immediately report cases of sicknesses to concerned authorities if we are to fight tropical neglected diseases in Moyo,” Onwong advised.
 
He said most people in areas prone to neglected diseases get the parasites when they go for water, firewood and charcoal burning among other activities.

The campaign supported by neglected tropical disease control programme in conjunction with Moyo district local government will run in schools and communities effective this month.

During the campaign, there will be mass drug administration by the community medicine distributors through direct treatment approaches so that no drugs are taken home.

The campaign will start with the training of more community medicine distributors and teachers on skills of accurate registration essential to estimate those eligible for treatment and the amount of drugs required.

The Vice LCV chairperson Moyo, Andrew Kajoingi, pledged total commitment in ensuring the program succeeds especially in hard to reach areas of Moyo district.

He called upon the community medicine distributors and teachers to advocate for good sanitation and mobilize the community for the mass drug administration drive for residents in the district.

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