State governments in Nigeria have been called upon to prioritize the elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by incorporating dedicated funding for interventions into their annual health budgets. This appeal was made at the 2026 Annual High-Level Advocacy Meeting on NTDs in Abuja, where stakeholders emphasized the need for stronger government ownership, sustainable financing, and accountability. The goal is to protect elimination efforts from declining donor support and ensure the continued implementation of essential interventions in vulnerable communities.
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services in Benue State, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, stressed that governments must take greater responsibility for sustaining NTD programs rather than relying predominantly on international development partners. He warned that continued dependence on external funding could leave vulnerable communities without essential interventions if donor support declined. Ogwuche identified leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, and snakebite as conditions affecting communities in Benue, describing the state as one of Nigeria's high-burden areas for snakebite.
According to Dr. Ogwuche, NTDs remain a significant public health concern in communities, particularly among vulnerable populations and rural dwellers. The changing donor financing landscape makes it necessary for governments to develop sustainable funding arrangements to achieve elimination targets. This would enable governments to ensure the continued implementation of interventions and protect vulnerable communities from the impact of declining donor support.
The Permanent Secretary, Yobe State Ministry of Health and Human Services, Hadiza Sambo, stated that her state is working to integrate NTD interventions into its planning and budgeting processes. Yobe is preparing its annual operational plan to ensure that identified interventions translate into specific budgetary commitments. Sambo revealed that the state would create a budget line for NTDs and engage local government chairmen and other stakeholders to strengthen implementation at the grassroots level.
Sambo emphasized that NTD elimination requires collaboration beyond the health sector, particularly with agencies responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene, education, and local government administration. Integrating NTD interventions into existing programs would encourage coordinated action and ensure that responses are not implemented as isolated activities. This approach would also facilitate the achievement of elimination targets and improve overall public health outcomes.
The Head of NTD Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Gambo Yakubu, called for stronger accountability in the implementation of state-level recommendations on NTD elimination. He stated that the assessment of states examines progress in funding, logistics, public awareness, case-finding, insurance coverage, data management, research, and private sector engagement. Yakubu stressed that government budgetary commitments must be supported by actual releases to ensure effective implementation and achieve elimination targets.
Yakubu identified gaps in domestic production of NTD commodities, insurance inclusion, and private sector participation, calling for stronger government action. He urged state commissioners for health to verify funding reports submitted by their governments and ensure that reported allocations translate into interventions. By addressing these gaps and ensuring accountability, governments can make progress in eliminating NTDs and improving public health outcomes in Nigeria.
Key points
- State governments in Nigeria urged to prioritize NTD elimination by integrating dedicated funding into annual health budgets.
- Governments must take greater responsibility for sustaining NTD programs rather than relying predominantly on international development partners.
- Stronger accountability is needed in the implementation of state-level recommendations on NTD elimination to ensure effective implementation and achieve elimination targets.
