The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Friday began offering free hydrocele surgeries to affected residents across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The intervention is designed to enable access to surgical care for those unable to afford treatment, according to Teresa Nwachukwu, Director of the FCT Public Health Department.
Flag-off Ceremony and Official Statements
Nwachukwu, represented by Ngozi Ebisike, Head of the Disease Control Division, spoke at the flag-off ceremony held at Kubwa General Hospital. She emphasized that hydrocele, although medically treatable, could affect mobility, productivity, family life, self-esteem, and social participation.
According to her, some patients live with the condition for years, enduring pain, discomfort, stigma, and embarrassment, while believing that nothing could be done. She stated that the FCTA intervention would offer affected residents access to safe, high-quality surgical care.
Partnerships and Funding
The FCT government, through the Department of Public Health and Disease Control, acknowledged the partnership of IHS Towers, The END Fund, Christian Blind Mission (CBM), and HANDS Division. They remain dedicated to enhancing the prevention, detection, and treatment of neglected tropical diseases and their complications.
Lami Ndayako, FCT Coordinator for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), praised the partners, especially IHS Towers, for their support in eliminating NTDs in the territory. She said IHS Towers, through The END Fund, has been a strategic partner in advancing NTD elimination efforts in the FCT since 2024.
Investment and Impact
Ms Ndayako stated that the organisation had invested approximately ₦114 million in the programme over the past three years. According to her, the support has enhanced preventive and morbidity management interventions for lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis.
The programme supported mass distribution of ivermectin for onchocerciasis in two Area Councils, reaching communities with more than 400,000 doses. Ms Ndayako stated that over 600 community case finders had also been trained to identify and refer individuals living with hydrocele and lymphoedema for surgery and treatment.
She stated that more than 210 hydrocele surgeries have been successfully performed over the past three years.
Future Plans and Endemic Diseases
Earlier, Joseph Kumbur, NTDs Specialist at CBM International, stated that the 2026 surgery exercise would be carried out across the six Area Councils before the end of October. Kumbur stated that the FCT was endemic for six NTDs, including river blindness and schistosomiasis.
He stated that interventions against river blindness had been ongoing since 1995, noting that the FCT had previously had a high prevalence of the disease.
Damian Udeh, Assistant Director of Regulatory Affairs at IHS Towers, stated that the organisation was committed to supporting the communities in which it operated. Udeh, represented by Jumai Adeika, an officer of the organisation, stated that supporting initiatives that enhance lives, strengthen communities, and promote sustainable development remained among its objectives.
He praised the FCT government, health workers, surgeons, community teams, CBM, The END Fund, and other stakeholders for their contributions to the programme. “We are especially pleased with the progress achieved through this programme and the number of beneficiaries who have already received surgical care,” he said.
