Some 165 million Nigerians, representing 84 percent of the population, currently need treatment for one or more types of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), the Nigerian NTD Economic Impact Survey revealed.

The report, commissioned by the END Fund and conducted by Deloitte Nigeria, also revealed that the Nigerian economy would reap $18.9 billion in increased productivity for its citizens if NTD elimination is achieved by 2030.

NTDs are a diverse group of communicable diseases that are prevalent in tropical and subtropical conditions in Nigeria and 148 other countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The 12 Neglected Tropical Diseases Control and elimination targets in Nigeria are onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, onchocerciasis, trachoma, trachoma, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, lymphatic filariasis, and schistosomiasis, snakebite envenomation, rabies, buruli ulcer, leprosy, yaws, leishmaniasis, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Guinea worm disease (eliminated).

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Speaking yesterday during a town hall meeting organized by the World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and other partners in Abuja to mark this year’s World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day, the END Fund, Senior Director of Public Affairs for Africa, Oyetola Oduyemi said COVID-19 caused a significant setback and disruption in NTD elimination efforts.