One of the leading figures in Nigeria’ s Guinea Worm eradication programme, Professor Luke Edungbola said insurgency could have made the eradication of the disease impossible, if the effort had been delayed any further.
The scholar, a professor of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology at the university of Ilorin made the disclosure at the public presentation of his book titled “The Eradication of Dracunculiasis (Guinea worm Disease) in Nigeria: An Eye Witness Account”.
The world health organisation in December 2013 declared Nigeria free of Guinea worm disease after over 35 years of sustained commitment from
the country.
He said Nigeria has, with this feat, eliminated the second tropical disease in the world after small pox .
He said this was done without applying a single drug but by providing safe water , healthy education among others
