By Nwadike Chinenye
A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Initiative for Prevention and Control Diseases (IPCD) has stressed the urgent need for the fight against tuberculosis (TB).
Consequently, the organisation is urging government at all levels, Corporate bodies, stakeholders and individuals, to actively support activities related to TB cure.
Speaking during a Private Sector Engagement Forum on the Nigeria Tuberculosis (TB) response in Imo state, organized by IPCD under the United States Agency For International Development (USAID) project, in collaboration with Palladium/SCALE, the Director for Public Health, Akwa Ibom State, Dr Gideon, said that Tuberculosis is the second leading infectious disease killer globally after COVID-19.
The death rate, according to the Director, is higher than the one from HIV and AIDS, adding that Nigeria ranks first in Africa and sixth globally, in the burden of people suffering fromTB.
“Tuberculosis is a highly infectious disease that affects lots of people in the country. It is transmitted from person to person, through airborne. When an individual inhales air from a patient suffering from TB, the person could get infected by the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. Infection by the disease does not discriminate among people be it children, women and men.”
“TB is a big public health issue and funding for it is mostly donor dependent. Out of Nigeria’s annual budget for TB, 6% is domestic funded, 24% is donor funded while 70% remains unfunded.
Presently, the donors are getting tired and there is need for Nigeria as a country, to see how it will live up to its responsibilities of taking care of the health of its people, by making funds available for TB treatment. Gone are the days when health officials sit in the facilities and wait for TB patients to come. Organizations are taking further steps to go to the communities and look out for patients, and the cost is immense. ”
The USAID project, in collaboration with Palladium/SCALE, have sponsored IPCD to work with the Civil Society group and Media to create awareness on the dangers of TB. The project seeks to reach out to both the public and the private sectors to mobilize resources for the treatment of TB patients. “It is good to get the patients diagnosed and treated on time to break the risk of transmission. The measure will make it possible to curtail the spread of TB. TB diagnosis and treatment is free.”
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