By Willies Ugo, Gombe
FG/UNICEF – Nov. 14, 2025
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in partnership with the Gombe State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has stepped up engagements with media professionals as part of renewed efforts to prevent, control and ultimately eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Gombe State.
The engagement, organised by the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, brought together journalists, officials of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), and the Northeast Zonal Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Hauwa Abubakar. The meeting held at the GOFCECON Hotel in Gombe.
Support real journalism.
✅ Prioritize credible sources
🔍 Fact-check what you read
💸 Donate to outlets that value truth, independence & fairness
Journalism matters—help it thrive. #NEWSPOINTER Fact checker#
The session aimed at strengthening collaboration between the media, government agencies and development partners, while also accelerating progress towards eliminating NTDs across communities in the state.
Officials highlighted ongoing interventions, community-level impacts, and areas where more support is needed. Gombe State Government, through the PHCDA, currently releases N25 million annually as counterpart funding for NTD interventions, though stakeholders say more efforts are required to bridge existing gaps.
Amen Health Care and Empowerment Foundation revealed that since 2015, with support from the Federal Government, Gombe State Government and other funders, the state has continued to implement programmes targeting diseases such as Onchocerciasis (river blindness), Lymphatic Filariasis and Schistosomiasis.
Programme Manager of the Foundation, Mrs Maryam Umar, explained that the partnership has supported a range of activities including hydrocele and hernia surgeries, elephantiasis care, trachoma trichiasis surgeries, cancer screenings and entrepreneurship training for affected persons.
UNICEF Consultant, Hillary Adie, identified poverty and poor access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services as major drivers of NTDs. He also listed the impacts on children, including poor academic performance, health complications, food insecurity and instances where children serve as guides to visually impaired parents.
He further noted that malnutrition and stigmatisation remain major concerns, especially for mothers who are unable to breastfeed due to NTD-related conditions.
THE NEWSPOINTER NEWSPAPER
Your Trusted Daily Online News Source.
Bringing you the latest in:
🗞️ National & Local News | ⚽ Sports | 🧵 Fashion | 🏛️ Politics | 🚨 Breaking News
Published by: Humtaro & Co.
The Northeast Zonal Coordinator, Hauwa Abubakar, called on stakeholders to intensify efforts, stressing that government must continue to provide leadership to ensure the full elimination of NTDs in Gombe State and across Nigeria.
UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bauchi, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, expressed optimism that NTDs are preventable with sustained and coordinated interventions. She commended the progress recorded in Gombe State and urged journalists to scale up awareness campaigns, describing the media as “game changers” in the fight against NTDs—especially for the benefit of children.
