General TY Danjuma has commissioned the multi-million naira office complex of the Mission to Save the Helpless Centre (MITOSAH),? a non-governmental organisation, in the fight to eliminate river blindness? in Nigeria. The occasion took place in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
MITOSAH? Centre was built by South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRC) and named TY Danjuma Building to honour and recognise his exceptional contribution to the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases.
Speaking while commissioning the centre, Gen Danjuma said the centre was borne out of the vision of a youth corps member who saw the devastating effect of river blindness and decided to contribute in order to make a difference.
He said the centre was managing one local government in Taraba State, adding that the organisation is now supporting three states: Taraba, Ondo and Lagos in mapping baseline survey control and elimination of cluster of diseases referred to as neglected tropical diseases.
According to him, these tropical diseases? include onchocerciasis, lymphatic, filariasis, schistosomiasis, soil transmitted helminths, trachoma, among others,
He further said that MITOSAH provided the platform for Nigerian corporate establishments, philanthropists and individuals to join the cause of the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases in Nigeria and Africa.
Earlier in her welcome address, the executive director of MITOSAH, Mrs Francisca Olamiju said they were working tirelessly to ensure the elimination of river blindness? in Nigeria in 2015.
According to her, in over 15 years of MITOSAH’s intervention in Nigeria’s health care delivery system, it has concentrated on diseases that affect mainly the rural poor, starting with ochocerciasis, also known as river blindness.
She added that MITOSAH was actively involved in adult blind community-based rehabilitation, adding that these interventions contributed to the socio-economic growth of the country and efforts towards the achievement of millennium development goals.