People at risk of NTDs: Dr

By JESHER TILTO
HALF the country’s population is at risk of suffering from neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a health official says.
Health Department’s public health executive manager Dr Sibauk Bieb said out of the 22 provinces, 16 were suspected to be prevalent with one or more NTDs.
“Fifty per cent of the population are at the risk of suffering from NTDs, which are lymphatic filariasis (LF), yaws, trachoma, scabies, soil-transmitted helminths, leprosy, dengue and buruli ulcers,” he said.
“Many people are not aware of these diseases until they develop physical disability and deformity.”
Bieb said this at the first World Neglected Tropical Disease Day commemorated in Port Moresby yesterday.
“PNG has one of highest cases of LF reported in the world,” he said.
“These diseases mainly occur in poor and overcrowded settings and are spread by a lack of hygiene, poor sanitation and vectors (mosquitoes).”
Bieb said NTDs were a group of diseases that needed more attention and awareness in the country.
With the theme for World NTD Day being “act now, act together, invest in NTDs”, Bieb called on all relevant authorities and stakeholders to help in the eradication of the diseases.
“Health Department has identified the need to develop an integrated NTD strategy going forward to attend to all NTDs collectively,” he said.
“In our endeavour to address the burden of NTD in PNG, the LF programme has successfully completed four rounds of mass-drug administration in New Ireland and two rounds in East New Britain.
“New Ireland has successfully interrupted the transmission of LF and is now on continued surveillance.”