Sight Savers, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, has launched a training programme in Zaria to equip surgeons with advanced skills for hydrocele treatment, one of the complications linked to lymphatic filariasis.
Hydrocele is characterised by a fluid buildup in the scrotum, which may not always cause pain but often leads to discomfort for affected men.
Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is transmitted through repeated mosquito bites and is caused by parasitic worms.
Prof. Nuhu Dagu, a Urology specialist from the University of Jos, explained that the initiative is designed to harmonise hydrocele surgery with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards to improve patient care.
He noted that while many doctors already perform hydrocele operations, the programme would familiarise them with updated WHO protocols and ensure uniform, high-quality results in hospitals.
The training, he said, includes classroom teaching, hands-on practice using mannequins, and supervised live surgeries.
Dagu further pointed out that hydrocele is often linked to lymphatic filariasis and stressed that preventive mass drug administration remains the most effective tool in controlling the disease.
According to Tabitha Kane, Senior Programme Officer for Sight Savers in Kaduna, the project strengthens the health system’s ability to deliver WHO-approved services for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
She disclosed that 12 surgeons were currently enrolled in the training eight from Kaduna and four from Kogi while more than 100 will benefit nationwide before the program concludes.
Kane also encouraged men with symptoms to seek medical care promptly, warning that delays could result in complications or disability.
Mr. Sani Abdullahi, Mobility Management Officer for NTDs at the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, highlighted that the partnership with Sight Savers began in 2019 and has since enabled about 2,000 patients to undergo free hydrocele surgery.
He revealed that 18 local government areas in Kaduna are affected by lymphatic filariasis, though only three still require preventive chemotherapy.
Abdullahi emphasised that the new training incorporates WHO-endorsed techniques, describing it as a milestone for case management and a boost to Kaduna’s health sector.
Looking ahead, he reiterated the state’s commitment to eliminating NTDs by 2030 and urged residents in endemic communities to participate fully in mass drug administration campaigns to achieve this goal.