By Abdulfatai Abdulsalami, Sokoto
The Governor of Sokoto State, Dr Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, has called on the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) to upgrade the NOMA hospital in Sokoto to international level.
The governor stated this on Wednesday during the 10 Years Anniversary and 2024 NOMA day commemoration, held at Sokoto Guest Inn, Sokoto.
The governor who was represented by the Special Adviser on Malaria elimination, Dr Namadina Ibrahim, said the NOMA hospital in the state is busiest across the country.
He said statistics or records from the hospital has confirmed that patients admitted in the facility is not only from the state but also from neighboring countries like Niger Republic, Mali, Ghana among others.
He said with the upgrading of the hospital, it will create more room to admit such patients as well as training of would be doctors of the disease.
The governor emphasize that NOMA is preventable which makes it easier to prevent than to manage.
Also speaking in his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, while commending the management of MSF in the state for doing a wonderful job, he challenged them to make work towards making Sokoto a NOMA free state.
The Sultan who was represented by the District Head of Bodinga, Muhammad Bello, said he is ever ready for collaboration with the NOMA to make the dream becomes a reality.
Highlight of the program was the presentation of some of the achievements recorded by MSF in the state which includes 1,467 major surgeries have been done since inception.
“Formation of national surgeons into the pool, Norma awareness training for the community target group and Early detection through oral screening in schools and communities”
Others include, “Medical treatment for acute noma resulting In discharge without
surgeries, Good collaboration with state MoH, addition of noma disease to the WHO NTDs list as well as Publications on epidemiology, KAP and Outcomes of noma”
Sharing their experience, some of the survivors while commending MSF also called on government across the country to assist NOMA patients.
Mrs Mulikat Okanlawon, appealed to individual and corporate agencies to support NOMA patients wherever they might be while calling on every stakeholders to spread the good news about NOMA to the people at the grassroots.
A specialist with MSF, Samuel Joseph, MSF project medical reverent emphasize on the needs for collective collaboration between the government and major stakeholders in the state on the needs to prevent the spread of NOMA among citizens.
He said hence the disease is preventable, there is need more everybody to promote save hygiene to enhance better living conditions.
