Within the year 2019, Kano state witnessed increased support in the area of treatments for NTDs chiefly sponsored by DFID and Sightsavers (through the ASCEND project). Neglected tropical diseases such as Schistosomiasis, Onchocerciasis/Lymphatic Filariasis, Trachoma Trichiasis surgery and Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention (MMDP) were successfully executed in the state within this period. Below is a list of activities carried out in the state in 2019

DFID Project (Schistosomiasis)

DFID year of funding expired in March 2019. In Kano State, HANDS successfully implemented school deworming programme in the first quarter of the year in 12 carefully selected LGAs of the state. The main criteria for selection rested on the level of vulnerability of those communities to Schistosomiasis.

ASCEND Project (Schistosomiasis)

Sightsavers funded Kano ASCEND Project to consolidate on the successes recorded in the control and elimination of NTDs using integrated approach as implemented in the previous DFID UNITED Project mentioned above. By implication, the ASCEND projects came into full force with the expiration of the DFID intervention. As always, the control and elimination of NTDs involved mass administration of medicines (MAM) in communities and schools by community drug distributers (CDDs) who were supervised by health facility staff (FLHF), teachers, State/LGA NTD teams and HANDS staff.

Onchocerciasis/Lymphatic Filariasis

Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) are major filarial infections targeted for elimination in Kano State. Control strategies are built upon community-directed mass administration of Ivermectin (CDTI) for Onchocerciasis, and Ivermectin plus Albendazole for LF to sustain momentum of DFID during the year. The programme was supported and coordinated by HANDS in collaboration with Kano State and administrators of the 44 LGAs.