Status And Potential Of Praziquantel Use in Schistosomiasis Control in Nigeria

Schistosomiasis is a very important disease in Nigeria. All the states of the Federation have cases, as shown by the 1991/92 national prevalence survey. A national programme for the control of the disease was set up in 1988 and the goal of the programme is to reduce morbidity of the disease to a level where it is no longer of public health importance. Praziquantel is presently the best single drug for use in the control of schistosomiasis because of its high efficacy, low toxicity and ease of administration and, it is the drug of choice in use in the one-drug strategy of the national programme. This programme, however, is yet to have any impact on the disease in any part of the country. The present study was carried out to assess the level of praziquantel use in the control of schistosomiasis in Nigeria and, to identify problems associated with its use. The findings suggest that the drug has great potential in the control of the disease in the country although given the high cost of the drug and the magnitude of the problem, external support will be required, to make a success of the control efforts. Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine Vol. 9, No. 1 (1999) pp. 50-5