Stakeholder’s in the fight against Tuberculosis have converged on Abuja to review the progress made by Nigeria in the Country Targets and Political Declaration of the 2018 United Nations High Level Meeting.
At the occasion, the Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike explained that Nigeria had made progress in the nation’s Tuberculosis response especially in the areas of case findings, funding, prevention and treatment but was still lacking in the area of child TB control.
Dr Anyaike who was represented by the Head, Child and Adolescents Unit of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control, Mr Ochuko Urioke, said the country would rely on collaborations with other stakeholders to enable it win the war against Tuberculosis in Nigeria.
Dr. Anyaike explained that “We know that we are not doing well in the area of child TB control, enrolling diagnosed patients on drug resistant TB is another area we need to look at. We made good progress as it relates to the commitment we made at the 2018 meeting, however we really need to work together as a group to further improve our response.
In a presentation, the Deputy Chairman, Stop TB Geneva, Dr. Austin Obiefuna stressed that the progress made so far in Nigeria was as a result of the commitment of the 2018 United Nations High Level meeting.
According to Dr. Obiefuna “We all know that the current pandemic that we have is TB, and we all know that Tuberculosis kills more than Malaria, hypertension, HIV and other diseases. It is the number one infectious killer. Therefore we need a holistic approach by all heads of states to be able to address TB as an emergency”.
He explained further “The UNHLM on TB is the most significant political meeting ever held on TB and the biggest opportunity
to raise the political priority of TB. The meeting would result in an ambitious Political Declaration on TB endorsed by Heads of State that will form the basis for the future TB response.
“It would secure commitment from Heads of State and Governments for a coordinated global response, result in a substantial increase in financial resources for TB, which led to millions of lives being saved from premature deaths from TB. It would also endorse measurable targets and commitments from
governments and key stakeholders on which they can be monitored and held accountable through
regular reporting”.
He reiterated that the meeting was in preparation of the 2023 global stakeholders consultation to develop a roadmap for coordinated advocacy efforts, with a focus on increased pdomestic resource mobilization and sustainable financing to
end TB.
Dr. Obioma explained that the target of the meeting is for Nigeria to align with the theme of the 2023 upcoming United Nations High Level Meeting on TB Which is: “Advancing Science, Finance and Innovation, to urgently end the global
tuberculosis epidemic by ensuring equitable access to Prevention, Testing, Treatment and Care.
Florence Adewale, Edited By Grace Namiji
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