…..advocates enlightenment against TB
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Federal ministry of health has raised the alarm that more children are coming down with Tuberculosis otherwise known as TB, with concerns that Nigeria might have future population that are unhealthy.
National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTLCP), Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike, told journalists at a press conference, in Abuja, that the situation is worrisome, hence he solicited the support of all stakeholders to improve efforts on case findings and treatment.
He said: “We have made tremendous progress in the past few years but more work is still required to tackle the disease by 2030, and we must start by identifying thousands of missing cases and bring them into treatment.
“Similarly, we need to change our case detection strategies. At the national programme level, we have put in some measures with the help of our partners, to increase our case detection and also increase our momentum on identification of the cases, particularly among the children who are increasingly coming down with the disease.
“Of the 285, 000 missing cases that we were able to identify last year, only six percent of them were children. So, we need to do more to save the lives of our children, particularly those that are down with TB.
“Undoubtedly, we have a huge gap of funding, up to 68 per cent, but we must continue to work hard to ensure that the available resources provided are judiciously used for the fight against TB.”
The Executive Director, KNCV Nigeria, Dr. Bethrand Odume, told journalists in his remarks, that there’s been decrease in TB prevalence over the years and that could be attributed to the advancement in diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
“But despite the progress and successes achieved, TB remains a significant global health challenge, and one of the world’s deadliest infectious disease that must be tackled with utmost urgency and responsibility.
“We can only achieve the desired goal through government, communities and stakeholders buy-in. We need more education on TB, more importantly on the detection, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.”
He stressed the need to intensify advocacy to the government and organized private sector to increase funding for TB programmes in the country. “Funding for TB has remained a key challenge to support programme activities towards closing the TB treatment coverage gap which stands at 66 per cent as at the end of 2021.”
Dr. Odume who doubles as chairman of 2023 national world TB day planning committee, disclosed that the theme of this year’s event “Yes! We can end TB” was designed to bring attention to TB and that it’s in the collective power of Nigerians to end TB by 2030 in line with SDG goal.
He confirmed that KNCV Nigeria has lined up programmes in collaboration with Stop TB Partnership, to sensitize Nigerians on TB regarding the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and all they need to know about the disease.