Benue State government has budgeted N700million to tackle neglected tropical diseases.
The north central state is specifically set to dispense the funds on neglected diseases such as Onchocerciasis (River Blindness), which is endemic in all the 23 LGAs; Lymphatic Filariasis or Elephantiasis, endemic in 16 LGAs; intestinal worms, endemic in 18 LGAs as well as Schistosomiasis or Bilharziasis, that is endemic in 22 LGAs of the state.
Beyond this, the state government recently constructed motorized boreholes and VIP latrines in schools and public places across 22 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, as part of measures to eliminating NTDs in Benue.
These revelations came to the fore during the 2025 Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis (Oncho/FL) 2-day Annual Review and Planning meeting organised by Sightsavers in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health and Human Services, held in Makurdi, towards the elimination of NTDs in the state.
The Review and Planning meeting brought together stakeholders from the academia, civil society, health sector and the media among others which is, aimed at coming up with strategies for the elimination of NTDs in the state by the year 2030.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Review meeting, Mathew Nyamve, Focal Person for NTDs for Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitization Agency (BEWASA) said, BEWASA was working on several projects that would curb and eventually eradicate NTDs in the state.
He said, “We are happy with this programme, more that WASH is one of the sure ways to eliminating NTDs and that’s why the Governor of Benue State, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has approved and released N700 million to BEWASA for three different programmes, that’s for UNICEF, P-WASH and Self Help Africa.
