Sightsavers International, in partnership with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, is set to distribute medication to over 2.7 million residents across six local government areas (LGAs) in the state.
At the launch event in Makarfi LGA, Tabitha Kane, Senior Programme Officer at Sightsavers Nigeria, announced the availability of 7,678,000 tablets for children aged five and above. This effort, coordinated by the Ministry of Health with Sightsavers’ support, focuses on the LGAs of Makarfi, Lere, Kaduna South, Kubau, Kagarko, and Kachia.
Kane explained that while Makarfi was not previously a high-transmission area, it is now included in the list of regions with active transmission. She stressed the need for community awareness and acceptance of the medicine to combat river blindness effectively.
She also commended the state government’s commitment and urged traditional leaders in Makarfi to assist in educating residents about the initiative.
Joseph O. Ike, Director General of the Kaduna State Bureau for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (KADBUSA), speaking on behalf of Health Commissioner Umma K. Ahmed, confirmed that the medication is 99.9% safe for all individuals aged five and older, regardless of gender.
Ike further explained that health workers and volunteers will go door-to-door in the LGAs to ensure widespread distribution. “The treatment is safe for everyone aged five and above, with exceptions for children under five, pregnant women, severely ill individuals, new mothers (less than seven days postpartum), children with stunted growth, and those absent during the distribution,” he clarified.
Ike also reminded the public that the fight against river blindness in Kaduna began 28 years ago with the launch of the Community Directed Treatments with Ivermectin (CDTI) strategy, supported by the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) and Sightsavers across 16 LGAs.
District Head of Gubuchi, Bello Lawal, encouraged the community to embrace the treatment to prevent blindness and praised the organizers for choosing Makarfi as the site for the important launch event.
