By Onwa Ekor
One hundred men and boys living with hydrocele in Cross River are to receive free corrective surgery this month, as the state government and Helen Keller International begin the third phase of their hydrocelectomy programme.
Fifty beneficiaries will be treated at General Hospital, Akamkpa, and another 50 at General Hospital, Obubra, from August 19 to 24, 2026.
The exercise targets males aged 15 and above and is aimed at managing complications of lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis.
Speaking at a one-day morbidity management and disability prevention planning meeting in Calabar, Monday, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jonah Offor, who represented Commissioner for Health Dr. Henry Ayuk, said hydrocele carries heavy physical, psychological, social and economic burdens.
“This is more than a medical intervention, it is about restoring dignity, confidence and the ability of affected persons to live productively,” Offor said.
He commended Helen Keller International and other partners for supporting the state’s fight against neglected tropical diseases, urging stakeholders to ensure proper patient identification, adequate surgical teams, medical supplies, infection prevention, documentation, postoperative care and community mobilisation.
State Coordinator of the Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Programme, Godwin Omeji, said hydrocele develops when lymphatic filariasis is left untreated, causing abnormal swelling of the scrotum.
He noted that the state had completed preventive chemotherapy and was now focused on managing complications.
“Health workers,” he said, “have begun community mobilisation to identify cases and encourage uptake of the free service.
“Those who cannot be accommodated in this phase will be documented for future surgeries,” Omeji added.
He cited inadequate funding for mobilisation, stigma and transport costs as major barriers in earlier phases, calling for the activation of selected primary healthcare centres to provide hydrocele surgery, instead of limiting it to secondary and tertiary facilities and appealed for increased budgetary support for outreaches and post-surgery monitoring.
Cross River Coordinator of Helen Keller International, Unyime Ekpoudia, said the meeting was to finalize an implementation plan.
She added that the two hospitals would also take referrals from neighboring LGAs, and that beneficiaries would be followed up at 10 to 14 days, two weeks and one month after discharge to assess healing and detect complications early.
NTD focal person for Akamkpa, Jude Ikon, said the planning process had revealed previously hidden cases, maintaining that mobilisation through community leaders is ongoing.
The intervention aligns with the partnership between the Cross River government and development partners to strengthen prevention, treatment and control of neglected tropical diseases, in line with the World Health Organisation’s target to eliminate them by 2030.
