The Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN) Edo State chapter, in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) MHS Community Development Service (CDS) group, Egor Local Government, has called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council to join in the fight of eradicating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Nigeria.
The state coordinator of PPSN, Nosa Ogboghodo, made the appeal during a courtesy call on the leadership of the NUJ in Benin to commemorate the World NTDs Day.
He said the appeal to NUJ has become so imperative due to the critical nature of the disease which has the ability of doing more harm to the people.
Ogboghodo said that it is only the media that can help sensitize the public on the causes, symptoms, mode of transmission, prevention and treatment of the infectious diseases.
PPSN coordinator further said that the media can help bring to the knowledge of the government of the need to provide pipe borne water to the rural areas, enhanced and sustained the distribution of medications such as praziquantel, ivermectin and other drugs used for the eradication of the infectious diseases just as he also called for functional Primary Health Cares facilities in all communities by the state government.
On his part, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, Comrade Festus Alenkhe commended PPSN for embarking on the initiative of sensitizing the public on the dangers of NTDs and the call to stem its tide in the country.
He said the union is solidly with them and it will do all in its power to help get the public informed of the dangers of NTDs.
The NUJ chairman, Festus Alenkhe was further decorated as an associate member of the PPSN.