By Justina Auta
Experts on Wednesday advocated for a more robust funding and increased awareness on diagnosis, prevention and treatment of tuberculosis in the country.
The experts made the call on a tweet meeting organised by AIDS Health Care Foundation (AHF) in collaboration with Global TB Caucus and Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism in commemoration of 2021 World TB Day.
The World TB Day is commemorated annually around the world to raise awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis and to step up efforts to end the pandemic
Mr Sola Charles, the Health Editor of Vangard Newspaper, stated on his official twitter handle that “no one should die from TB; as the disease is preventable and treatable and TB vaccine had been in existence for a century.”
According to him, reports show that Nigeria has recorded some achievements, as about 581,000 Nigerians have received treatment between 2015 and 2020 in 12 states across the country, adding that more effort is needed to end the disease.
The editor stressed the need for intensive mass media intervention to assist in generating knowledge about the disease to reduce stigma and promote awareness on diagnosis, prevention and treatment.
He called on Federal government to redeem the pledge made in 2018, to place about 1.2 million Nigerians on TB treatment by 2022.
Ogwuche Daebra, Francophone and West Africa Regional Manager of Global TB Caucus, on her official twitter handle, called for meaningful engagement and domestic mobilisation with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
According to her, such approach with the relevant ministries such as Ministry of Women Affairs, finance and information can lead to a more robust and inclusive approach in the fight against the disease.
Daebra stressed the role of parliamentarians in the fight against TB in the country, noting that it was very important.
The regional manager said “increased political will can also lead to the formulation of better laws and policies that will protect the lives and rights of key and vulnerable population, as well as stem stigma and discrimination.
“According to WHO estimate, 440,000 people fell ill from TB in Nigeria in 2019 and 127,000 died from the disease, including 27,000 people with HIV.
“Nigeria comes third behind India and China in terms of TB cases, around 245,000 Nigerians die annually from TB, while about 590,000 new cases occur,” she said.
Also, Mr Steve Aborisade, the Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF-Nigeria on his official twitter handle, said the country’s core funding to TB programmes had been donor-driven.
He, therefore, called on government, corporate organisations and individual Nigerians to invest in funding TB programmes to protect more lives, especially vulnerable citizens.
NAN
