Earlier this week Nigeria launched a multi-year national plan for the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTD Master Plan). The NTD Master Plan provides a platform for Nigeria to stimulate global efforts to reach elimination and control of diseases under the The London Declaration and the  Millennial Developmental Goal 6. The launch event was held the same week with the Presidential Summit on Water, which included several key figures such as the Global Network’s NTD Special Envoy His Excellency John A. Kufuor (President of the Republic of Ghana, 2001-2009).

As a continent, Africa bears 50% of the global burden of NTDs and Nigeria bears the largest NTD burden within Sub-Saharan Africa. The country’s commitment to addressing NTDs highlights the importance of not only recognizing major health concerns, but also of simultaneously reducing poverty and improving the quality of life for Nigerians. Through past efforts, Nigeria has successfully eliminated guinea worm and has reached its goal to control river blindness. Furthermore, Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Professor C.O. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has refocused the target of river blindness from control to elimination to meet the mandate given to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) African Program for Onchoceriasis Control (APOC).

In order to provide treatment for more than 60 million affected individuals over the next five years, the plan requires USD $334 million (49 billion Naira). Officials emphasized that the success of the NTD Master Plan would largely be a result of rising partnerships among the public and private sector. The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Ali Pate, stated that an interactive commitment throughout the community would help in overcoming the global impact of NTDs and would assist in contributing to the country’s “Saving One Million Lives” initiative. Nigeria’s initiative sparks the beginning of a successful network of nations pledging to fight the global cause against NTDs.