The Ondo State House of Assembly has pledged its support for the eradication of schistosomiasis and other endemic diseases in Ondo state.
The Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Bamidele Oleyelogun gave this assurance while playing host to a delegation from the Ondo State Primary Health Care Board.
Oleyelogun pledged the Assembly's disposition to put in place a robust legislation that will facilitate the eradication of schistosomiasis and other endemic diseases in the state.
The Speaker who urged the team to prepare a Bill for the assent of the Assembly with a view to checkmating the spread of the disease also advised them to embark on massive publicity in order to sensitize the public on the danger inherent in Schistomiasis disease.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr. Olugbenga Osunmakinwa said the disease is more pronounced in some local government areas of the state, noting that Odigbo, Ile-Oluji and Ifedore Local Government Areas would serve as pilots of the programme for this year.
He stresed the need for stakeholders to mobilize the communities through adequate publicity with a view to eradicating the disease.
Another member of the team, Dr. Oniya Mobolanle, a Director of Disease Control at the Department of Biology, Federal University Of Technology, Akure, (FUTA) revealed that Schistosomiasis is a tropical disease that affects mainly children.
According to him, the disease is common in tropics and the far East.
"The symptoms depend on which part of the body is affected but common with urination of blood", he added.
