|
BNW |
|
B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gowon asks stakeholders to rid Nigeria of guinea worm
FORMER Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) has asked stakeholders in the fight against guinea worm not to be carried away by the success so far recorded.
Gowon said they could only beat their chest if Nigeria was rid of guinea worm.
He particularly charged the stakeholders to work towards the World Health Organisation (WHO) certification, which could only be achieved if they diligently perform their roles.
Gowon spoke yesterday at the Review of Carter Centre Assisted-Health Programmes in Nigeria at the Hill Station Hotel, Jos.
He observed that the teamwork that the Nigeria Eradication Programme is known for must be made stronger because a little slip could lead to loss of ground already gained.
The former ruler and chairman of the Yakubu Gowon Centre said that progress had been made in their collective efforts to rid Nigeria of guinea worm disease.
He said that the Carter Centre/Global 2000 had also made progress in the eradication of elephantiasis, River Blindness, Bilhazia and trachoma.
"Now that we have arrived at the stage we are almost eradicating the guinea worm disease, what is crucial is active surveillance to ensure that we do not relapse to old ways.
"Let me, therefore, seize this opportunity to urge the Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, to take up the challenge of ensuring that both the states and local councils get involved and committed to ensuring that surveillance is actively maintained in non-endemic guinea worm villages."
He was happy that only about 305 cases of guinea worm were recorded in Nigeria.
After the opening ceremony, the participants went into technical session, which will end tomorrow.
|
|
||||||||||||
