Health
FCTA Begins Free Hydrocele Surgeries In Abuja
By Aderogba George
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Friday commenced free hydrocele surgeries for affected residents across the six Area Councils.
Dr Teresa Nwachukwu, Director, FCT Public Health Department, said the intervention would provide access to surgical care for people who could not afford the cost of treatment.
Nwachukwu, represented by Dr Ngozi Ebisike, Head, Disease Control Division, spoke at the flag-off ceremony at Kubwa General Hospital.
She said hydrocele, though medically treatable, could affect mobility, productivity, family life, self-esteem and social participation.
According to her, some patients live with the condition for years, experiencing pain, discomfort, stigma and embarrassment, while believing that nothing could be done.
She said the FCTA intervention would provide access to safe and quality surgical services for affected residents.
“The FCT Government, through the Department of Public Health and Disease Control, appreciates IHS Towers, The END Fund, Christian Blind Mission (CBM) and HANDS Division for their partnership.
“They remain committed to strengthening the prevention, detection and treatment of neglected tropical diseases and their complications,” Nwachukwu said.
Mrs Lami Ndayako, FCT Coordinator, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), commended the partners, especially IHS Towers, for supporting the elimination of NTDs in the territory.
She said IHS Towers, through The END Fund, had been a strategic partner in advancing NTD elimination efforts in the FCT since 2024.
Ndayako said the organisation had invested about N114 million in the programme over the past three years.
According to her, the support has strengthened preventive and morbidity management interventions for lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis.
She said the programme supported mass administration of ivermectin for onchocerciasis in two Area Councils, reaching communities with more than 400,000 doses.
Ndayako said more than 600 community case finders had also been trained to identify and refer people living with hydrocele and lymphoedema for surgery and treatment.
She added that more than 210 hydrocele surgeries had been successfully conducted over the past three years.
Earlier, Dr Joseph Kumbur, NTDs Specialist, CBM International, said the 2026 surgery exercise would be conducted across the six Area Councils before the end of October.
He said the FCT was endemic for six NTDs, including river blindness and schistosomiasis.
Kumbur said interventions against river blindness had been ongoing since 1995, noting that the FCT was previously one of the areas with high prevalence of the disease.
Mr Damian Udeh, Assistant Director, Regulatory Affairs, IHS Towers, said the organisation was committed to supporting communities where it operated.
Udeh, represented by Ms Jumai Adeika, an officer of the organisation, said supporting initiatives that improved lives, strengthened communities and promoted sustainable development remained part of its goals.
He commended the FCT Government, health workers, surgeons, community teams, CBM, The END Fund and other stakeholders for their contributions to the programme.
“We are particularly encouraged by the progress recorded under this programme and the number of beneficiaries who have already received surgical care,” he said. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
Edited by Tosin Kolade
