Nigeria gets second noma treatment centre, one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) is being built at the National Hospital, Abuja, to serve the needs of patients who require the services.

Minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who laid the groundwork for the construction of the 100-bed capacity Noma treatment centre on the premises of the National Hospital, said the decision to site the centre at the National Hospital was because of its strategic location, and the ease of access to Noma patients referred from any part of the country.

“Noma is an infectious disease that rapidly eats away soft tissue and bones around the face, resulting in an awful disfigurement that does not fail to draw attention.

“It progresses rapidly and, without treatment, the patient’s condition could become life-threatening.”

Noma has a mortality rate of up to 90 per cent and almost invariably affects children from the age of two to six years with poor health status defined by abject poverty and malnutrition.

Those who survive it suffer life-long disfigurement from defects of the face that makes eating, speaking and social relationships difficult. Social exclusion and stigma are the result.

In 1999, a 70-bed Noma children’s hospital was established in Sokoto State to treat patients in that region. It is the only facility in Nigeria till date, catering to the specific needs of Noma patients and survivors.

It was gathered that treatment of survivors there has been with highly specialized reconstructive plastic surgery and it has been free of charge.

A representative of Hilfaskion Noma, Ute Winkler Stunpf, in her remarks, appreciated the support received from the officials of the National Hospital and Federal Ministry of Health that resulted in the successful take off of the project.

She confirmed that her organization has taken the responsibilities of building and equipping of the treatment facilities as well as offering the treatment and support services to Noma patients.

Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the National Hospital, Dr. Jaf Momoh, stated that the hospital has all the manpower required for the smooth take off and running of the treatment centre.

The Director General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Care Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, has confirmed the death of seven children from cholera in the state.

Ekpenyong said, “Over 600 suspected cases were detected and we had a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) conducted on them. We also did a microscopic and culture test to have a true confirmation of the cases.

“We confirmed that most of the cases were not cholera related, though we had three active cases of the disease in Ogoja Local Government Area (LGA).

Ekpenyong said treatment was initiated after samples were collected for microscopic test but sadly however, some of the children died before the results were out.

She noted that children are most vulnerable to diarrhoea, because they play mostly with dirt and still use their hands to eat without washing them.

Ekpenyong said her goal was working with the National Orientation Agency and other partners to sensitise mothers on the importance of maintaining hygienic habits and drinking clean water.

She noted that most of the cases were as a result of drinking unclean water that had been contaminated by faeces, especially in rural areas without toilets.

She said that since most rural dwellers depended on water from the streams, it was important for people from such communities to boil such water before drinking.

Women Liberation and Transformation Group (W-LIT) and other stakeholders have advocated increased community awareness on the dangers of gender-based violence as a strategy to end the menace.

The stakeholders made the call at a community dialogue organised by W-LIT in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dialogue supported by Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) is funded by Ford Foundation.

It had the theme: “Building Community Level Accountability Mechanism and Enhancing Collaboration between Women Leaders and Traditional Institutions in Addressing Gender Based Violence”.

Traditional leaders, community chiefs, religious leaders, women leaders, youth representatives, security personnel, educationists, health workers, market leaders, artisans and traders attended the event.

The W-LIT President, Mrs Olanike MicTaiwo, said that the essence of the dialogue was to build solidarity, accountability and commitment to ending violence against women and girls in the Lagos State.

MicTaiwo said that W-LIT desired eradication of violence against women and girls in Lagos communities.

According to her, the organisation is engaging traditional institutions, religious leaders, women leaders and market leaders toward ending violence against women and girls in the state.

She urged that sentiments should not be accommodated when addressing cases of gender-based violence, sexual assault and other vices.

She called on governments to create more awareness on the implications of gender-based violence and violence against women and girls.

MicTaiwo also called for creation of easily accessible help centres and adequate punishment of perpetrators to serve as a deterrent to others.

SP Grace Eburaja, Pedro Police Divisional Crime Officer at Shomolu, Lagos State, described gender-based violence/domestic violence as a serious crime.

Eburaja said that there was need for increased awareness on the dangers of the crime through various the mass media, social media platforms and ministries of justice.

She said that Lagos State was doing much to curb domestic violence but should speed up prosecution of reported cases.

Eburaja advised parents to spend more time to guide their children to save them from being victims of sexual violence and related vices. She also noted that rape/defilement was punishable with life imprisonment.

Eburaja urged that perpetrators should not be protected but exposed and made to face the wrath of the law.

A school proprietress, Mrs Gloria Quadri, urged governments to educate communities on the implications of violence.

According to her, governments should create awareness about where cases could be reported and treated properly.

The proprietress also urged training of those handling domestic violence and related cases to avoid stigmatising victims.

Chief Waheed Agiri, Chief of Orile Bariga, Lagos State, thanked WARDC and Ford Foundation for the event. Agiri urged parents and guardians to monitor their children properly.

He advised that parents should train both the boy-child and the girl-child and avoid covering up their vices but punish all wrongdoings.

He said: “A child that is not trained may end up destroying the home and community. Teach your children the way of the Lord so that they give you peace.”

Agiri also advised husbands to love their wives and vice versa for peace to reign in their homes and by extension, communities.

The high point of the community dialogue was the introduction of a community response team and creation of a coalition of communities Chiefs against gender-based violence.