Seven years ago (July 2016), AFRICA PRIME NEWS and three other media ran a story on the reemergence of river blindness in Kaduna State, alerting that hundreds of people were at risk of contracting the disease.
In a swift reaction, an international non-governmental organization, Sightsavers, issued a statement falsifying the report, saying they (Sightsavers), in conjunction with the Kaduna state government had conducted research, but found no single case.
The then-governor of the state, Mal. Nasir El-Rufai went on Facebook and amplified the statement of Sightsavers, claiming there were no cases of river blindness in the state.
We stood by our stories and challenged Sightsavers to respond to certain questions, as well as take journalists to Iri community to conduct independent investigations. They could not do any of the two.
Our 2016 report followed an investigation and a visit to some communities in Kajuru Local Government Area of the State. The report also highlighted how government officials were mishandling the administration of the river blindness programme in the state.
It was not surprising when recently we read the startling title of a story by Vanguard Newspapers, RIVER BLINDNESS HITS KADUNA, 5 MILLION AT RISK – GOVT.
According to the newspaper, “the State Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma K. Ahmad disclosed this at a press conference to commemorate the 2024 World Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD held at the health ministry in Kaduna….”
There is no better way to vindicate us and our story – it is clear the disease has gone from threatening hundreds of residents (seven years ago) to millions (today).
One thing is certain – the threat did not start today – it has been there for years.
We are proud we ran that story which met all known journalistic standards.
Kudos to the present administration in Kaduna State for being honest and stating the facts.
