Effects and Management of Onchocerciasis among Parents in the Lower Benue Trough of Nigeria

Abstract

In this study a descriptive survey research design involving the collection of onchocerciasis response data from Parents, Council Health Staff, State Onchocerciasis Health Unit, Community Directed Distributors, Community Stakeholders on Onchocerciasis treatment in the Council Area and the health centres were adopted. Specifically, the survey seeks to evaluate the factors that are possibly associated with compliance with mass treatment with ivermectin and the awareness of risk factors of onchocerciasis in Idemili North Council Area of Anambra State, Some parts of the population would be studied and finding from these parts is expected to generalised to the entire population. The questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. The data collected and the result obtained were analysed. The major findings of this study are that the state agency is operational ready to meet the exigencies of onchocerciasis operation in the local government level. Moreover, there are no logistics in place at the community level that could be used during the distribution of the drug to the villagers.

Therefore, the community is not in any way prepared to deal effectively with onchocerciasis and its inherit problems. The various agencies responsible for onchocerciasis control and mectizan distributions are not properly co-ordinated at the village level. These have a negative impact on the donor agencies. Thus the community should be overhauld and necessary facilities put in place to ensure proper distribution of mectizan by the community directed distributors for prompt response to onchocerciasis events.

Keywords: Onchocerciasis, ivermectin, mectizan, exigencies, Community Directed Distributors