Health Experts Advocate Local Solutions, Best Practices To End Tuberculosis In Nigeria
Local solutions, best practices to end Tuberculosis in Nigeria, these, and more are the submissions of the Global Director of KNCV TB Foundation, Dr. Gidado Mustapha at the just concluded 2021 TB Conference in Abuja.
Dr. Gidado who also called for new tactics to eradicate TB commended USAID and Global fund for ensuring investment, projects, and programs for TB continued over the years.
“TB situation in Nigeria looks challenging at the moment but the last two years it has been in the right direction, if 10 percent of resources from government and the private sector will be invested into TB, Nigeria will effectively tackle the spread of the disease in Nigeria. Dr, Gidado said.
According to him, ”All it needs, is three tactics which include Infusing urgency into the TB response, accelerating and also taking things to scale as long as we sustain this our right direction will commensurate with acceleration to end TB in Nigeria.”
National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike
“The KNCV TB challenge remains a partner with you on this journey. You can count on us for technical support and sharing best practices and pushing innovation into the TB response.” Dr. Mustapha added.
In a paper presentation, ‘COVID-19 impact and lessons for TB control and other health Services’, the Director, Surveillance and Epidemiology, NCDC, Mrs. Elsie Ilori believed collaboration between TB program and NCDC has the capacity to enhance TB surveillance reporting in Nigeria.
“In collaboration with NTBLCP, Partners and other stakeholders, TB Module developed in SORMAS for TB screening and notification,” she said.
Analysing the TB Screening module in Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS) that it is a mobile eHealth system concerned with digitization of the IDSR.
On his part, the National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike said awareness about tuberculosis in Nigeria was still very low.
Dr. Anyaike called for increased collaboration, increased case detection, and treatment at the community level to eliminate TB.
