TRAILBLAZING WOMEN : Championing Change: How Dr. Nwadiuto Azugo Is Using School Clubs to Fight Neglected Tropical Diseases in Nigeria
In many Nigerian communities, schistosomiasis, commonly known as snail fever, remains a silent threat affecting millions, particularly children. While public health experts continue to push for greater awareness, one individual is taking the message directly to the next generation. Through a school club dedicated to educating young people about schistosomiasis and other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), Dr. Nwadiuto Okwuniru Azugo is nurturing informed students who are becoming advocates for healthier communities.
In this interview, she shares the inspiration behind the initiative, its challenges, and the impact it’s making in schools.
Dr. Nwadiuto Okwuniru Azugo
“When diseases are neglected, people’s lives and stories are neglected,” she says passionately. “If we cannot provide treatment, the least we can do is provide knowledge.”
Addressing Inequality Through Education
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by worms found in freshwater bodies, affects millions of Nigerians, especially those who rely on rivers and streams for daily living. Yet, despite being preventable and treatable, many communities remain uninformed or excluded from mass drug administration programmes due to geographic and social inequities.
Dr. Azugo noticed that while primary school pupils often benefit from national deworming and treatment campaigns, secondary school students and older adolescents are largely forgotten, even though they are equally at risk.
Her response was both practical and visionary. In 2024, she launched the Schistosomiasis School Club at Christ the King Seminary School, Nobi, a community where she herself grew up. The pilot programme engages students through interactive learning, storytelling, drama, and peer education, teaching them how schistosomiasis spreads, how to prevent it, and how to share that knowledge with others.
Some of the Schistosomiasis Club Members
“When children speak, their communities listen,” she explains. “I wanted to use the most powerful voices in our villages, the children, to inspire behavioural change.”
The Ripple Effect of Knowledge
The impact of the school club was immediate. Students learned about the disease and began teaching others like their peers, parents, neighbours, and even community leaders.
After a soap-making class that promoted handwashing and hygiene, Dr. Azugo recalls an unforgettable moment:
“I saw the students walking home, stopping at shops and churches, sharing soap and explaining schistosomiasis to everyone they met, from traders to priests. That was the moment I knew the ripple effect had begun.”
Dr. Nwadiuto Okwuniru Azugo Teaching the students how to make soap
Through the project, students also discuss broader issues like menstrual hygiene, gender equality, and environmental sanitation, creating safe spaces for open conversations in a culture where such topics are often taboo.
“To see boys asking how to support girls during menstruation or suggesting ways to make pads more accessible, it gave me hope,” Dr. Azugo says. “These are the leaders of tomorrow.”
Collaboration and Community Trust
Dr. Azugo’s approach is deeply rooted in community-based participatory research, which prioritises local voices and traditional knowledge. She works closely with the Anambra State Government, local health workers, and the Model Primary Healthcare Centre in Nobi, including a retired health worker who has served the area for over 40 years.
Her mother, a respected woman leader in the community, Mrs. Juliet Ekwutosi Azugo, also played a vital role by mobilising parents and supporting the school club’s outreach activities. Together, they’ve built trust and fostered collaboration between researchers, schools, and local authorities.
“Public health isn’t just about data, it’s about people. To make lasting impact, you must respect their culture, their beliefs, and their time.”
Mrs. Juliet Ekwutosi Azugo
During her tenure as Head of the Social Mobilization Department at the Idemili South Local Government Education Authority in 2017, Mrs. Azugo also facilitated the reconstruction of a long-neglected Unity Primary School in the community.
Call for Support and Visibility
While the Schistosomiasis School Club has achieved remarkable success, Dr. Azugo acknowledges the challenges, limited funding, the need for more teaching materials, and the desire to expand to other schools.
She calls on the Anambra State Government, NGOs, and private partners to help scale the initiative and integrate NTD education into Nigeria’s school curriculum.
“We need visibility. We need to amplify the voices of these students, the real change agents. If we can’t give everyone medicine, let’s give them knowledge.”
Hope for a Healthier Future
Through her initiative, Dr. Azugo is not only combating neglected diseases but also restoring dignity and agency to rural communities. Her work underscores that the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases in Nigeria is a medical challenge as well as a social and educational one.
Her philosophy is simple yet profound: health equity begins with awareness.
Dr Nwadiuto Okwuniru Azugo in a One on One Session with One of her Club Member
Beyond the classroom, Dr. Azugo envisions a ripple effect, students taking knowledge home, influencing peers, and helping their communities understand the importance of hygiene, safe water, and preventive health. As Nigeria continues its fight against NTDs, grassroots initiatives like this school club demonstrate that empowering young minds may just be the most sustainable strategy in ending diseases of poverty.
