Nigeria currently has the highest incidents of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Africa, this is as the country joins the rest of the world in commemorating this year’s World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day.

NTDs like River Blindness, Elephantiasis, and intestinal worms affect an estimated 1.7billion, mainly the poor population of countries in Africa, Asia and America, where lack of basic amenities is commonplace.

Galaxy’s Godfrey Eshiemoghie reports that at a media engagement in Abuja to mark the day, stakeholders from the FCT Public Health Department among others harped on the need for the government to pay adequate attention to these diseases like it does Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV.

A strong case was made for the Nigerian government to improve the standards of the country’s ailing healthcare system to pay adequate attention to these diseases.

The World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day which is commemorated on the 30^th of January annually has this year’s theme: “End the Neglect of NTDs”.