Public Awareness and Knowledge of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Control Activities in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

The need to engage the public in Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) control activities has become imperative in the context of morbidity reduction through preventive chemotherapy and community participation. Therefore, a survey was conducted among the general public to assess their knowledge and awareness of NTDs control activities in Nigeria. A simple questionnaire was administered to the general public attending a job fair in Abuja, Nigeria. Of the 461 respondents, a significant proportion 337 (73.1%) have heard of NTD before, but only 291 (63.1%) have good knowledge about NTDs. However, among the specific NTDs, only the control of onchocerciasis (50.8%) was of average public awareness in Nigeria, while all the other NTDs control activities were significantly less known to the general public. 397 (87.1%) stated that government support for NTD control activities is poor and were willing to assist to advocate for NTDs control. This survey demonstrates that despite government's numerous activities towards the control of NTDs in Nigeria, there is little sensitization of the general public. There is a need for policy changes that would raise the participation and involvement of the general public in NTDs control activities for sustainability.

The awareness of neglected tropical diseases in a sample of medical and nursing students in Cairo University, Egypt: A cross-sectional study

“…In the current study, the students themselves perceived a gap in the public awareness regarding NTDs where nearly half of them agreed on the low level of public awareness regarding these diseases in Egypt. On the other hand, a study done in Nigeria to assess the general citizen's knowledge and awareness of NTDs control activities found that a significant proportion of the included subjects (73.1%) have heard of NTDs before, yet only 63.1% have good knowledge about them [23]. Lemoine and colleagues stated that the adherence to management guidelines was positively associated with the population's awareness and understanding of the disease, its modes of transmission, mass drug administration campaign, expected adverse effects, and the subject's perception about the risk of infection [24].…”

Strategy for a globally coordinated response to a priority neglected tropical disease: Snakebite envenoming

“…As well as effective engagement with health decision makers at regional and national levels, there is strong evidence linking the success of disease interventions to engagement with local communities to engender trust in outcomes and hence productive participation [26–28]. A major barrier to improving the treatment of SBE is the perception across many LMIC communities that rather than being a physical illness amenable to medical treatment, snakebites, like many other unexpected illnesses, are associated with deity punishment, witchcraft, or other powerfully persuasive phenomena that are often very locally specific [29, 30].…”

Schistosomiasis in Nigeria: Gleaning from the past to improve current efforts towards control

“…Although the Nigerian government in recent times has scaled up efforts on control of schistosomiasis and other NTDs, funds allocation to these diseases are not adequate [ 25 ]. Among the NTDs, schistosomiasis is even more neglected, especially in terms of public awareness [ 26 ]. Several international organisations and NGOs have come to the rescue over the years.…”

“…Despite schistosomiasis being the most studied NTD in Nigeria [ 34 ], a report of 21.5% level of awareness about schistosomiasis specific control activities is very low. This is unlike onchocerciasis where public awareness about control programmes seemed to be high [ 26 ]. The reason alluded to this encouraging awareness level about onchocerciasis is the fact that onchocerciasis control activities in Nigeria have been ongoing since 1991 [ 35 ] unlike that of schistosomiasis that began much more later.…”