FCT Health Dept Pledges To Uphold Rights Of TB, HIV/AIDS Patients

The FCT Public Health Department has pledged continued support to ensure citizens’ rights are protected, especially those undergoing treatment for tuberculosis.

The focal person for Gender and Human Rights, FCT Public Health Department, Dr. Titilayo Ilesanmi, made this known in Abuja when the FCT Advocacy team implementing the Global Fund Cycle Seven project visited her in Abuja.

Dr. Ilesanmi who frowned at the stigmatization against some patients with particular ailments such as Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other diseases said the unit would leave no stone unturned to investigate such issues and ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.

Citing examples with cases of a partner or a worker being stigmatized Dr. Ilesanmi stressed that every individual has a right to care and social inclusion. Hence, stigmatization worsens the situation of the patient in which the unit would not tolerate.

She added that children under such categories would also be protected as investigation into what led to them contracting such diseases would be investigated and addressed.

According to her, “if a child has TB or HIV, an adult must have infected the child, therefore the unit would have the opportunity to place such adult on care, to avoiding spreading the disease among the community,”

The team also visited the Program Manager, FCT Tuberculosis, and Leprosy Control Program
Dr. Garba Abdulrazaq to intimate him of the activities of Community Based Organisations working in the PHCs on their interventions.

Dr. Abdulrazaq applauded them so far but charged them to intensify efforts to rid the Territory of Tuberculosis.

Florence Adewale, Edited By Grace Namiji