Awareness Critical To Checking Tuberculosis – FG

A community of young Nigerians have been trained and empowered to collaborate with stakeholders in the health sector to develop innovative ideas, detect and raise awareness on how to curb Tuberculosis in the country.

The training was entitled ‘Empowering Young Champions to End TB’. It also flagged Off the One Minute Silence for TB Campaign by the DEBRICHE Health Development Centre-DHDC with support from Stop TB Partnership Geneva. The aim  is also to foster a committed network of Health Development volunteers for the health sector advocacy.

According to Head of Advocacy Communications and Social Mobilization, Ministry of Health, Doctor Jamila Amin, one of the most critical components of controlling tuberculosis was awareness.

Doctor Amin noted that volunteers were critical to achieving effective control in the TB landscape in Nigeria.

Also speaking, Mrs Deborah Ike, Executive Director of the DHDC Nigeria emphasized that it was imperative to address the disease as it has become a plague.

A representative of the World Health Organization, Dr Emmanuel Opeyemi who expressed concern over stigmatization and spread of the disease called for concerted efforts in tackling Tuberculosis.

Dr Opeyemi assured WHO’s commitment to support initiatives that would completely bring an end to Tuberculosis in Nigeria.

Highlights of the event included presentation of certificate of participation, presentation of work kits to volunteers and an award of excellence to an outstanding volunteer from AkwaIbom to the sum of One hundred thousand naira only.

Ene Idoko, Edited By Grace Namiji