FMOH/WHO HOLD DATA HARMONIZATION WORKSHOP, OCTOBER 2018

The FMOH with support from WHO held a 4-day meeting with Zonal and States representatives in Nasarawa State this week to harmonize the existing data on NTD implementation in Nigeria.

SMART templates for the development of work plans & reporting during annual review meetings were also developed during this meeting.

Again, the status and way forward for NTDs implementation in each state were discussed. Five categories of MDA were identified, some of which are: scale up MDA (in LGAs that have never done MDA), scale down MDA (in LGAs that have done more than the required number of effective MDA rounds for a particular disease but are yet to do assessment) and quick win MDA (in LGAs that require only one more effective MDA to qualify for assessment), among others.

NTD IMPLEMENTATION IN LF ONLY LGAs IN ANAMBRA STATE: NIGERIAN MILITARY PARTICIPATES

In Anambra State, Military Front Line and Army CDDs moved around the Onitsha Cantonment treating everyone with NTD medicines during the urban treatment that took place from 23rd to 29th of September, 2018.

Furthermore, treatment in LF only LGAs is ongoing in major markets of Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Anambra East, Anambra West and Ogbaru LGAs.

Again, commendable numbers of health workers were reported to have taken part in a 2 weeks intensive mobile treatment in Onchocerciasis hypo LGAs of the state.

NTDs NC INAUGURATES NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF NTD COMMODITIES

The NTDs National Coordinator, Dr Chukwuma Anyaike has set up a National Committee on Review & Approval of NTD Commodities. This happened during a data harmonization workshop that took place in Nasarawa State this week (sponsored by WHO). The committee comprises of the National Coordinator (Chairman), National drug SCM focal point (Vice-chairman), national programme managers (members), national programme data managers (members), UNICEF (member) and WHO (member).

The mandate of this body is to review the requests for NTD medicines by states. The committee is charged with utilizing the current national situation analysis as well as its discretion in good faith to make recommendations for approval according to FMOH guidelines. After reviewing a request, an approval document signed by the committee will be forwarded to the NC for final approval. The NC will then revert and authorize the national SCM focal point to transmit same to states and zones. Finally, an approved letter will be sent to the national store, state and zones within 48 hours of approval by the NC, before any drugs will be released to the states.