Tuberculosis on increase in Nigeria- HIFASS joins stakeholders to deplore the increase of TB infected persons in Nigeria

Stop TB Partnership Nigeria in partnership with global TB stakeholders organized a 2-Day National Conference at the International Conference Centre, Abuja on 17th and 18th July 2019 which was said to be the second of its kind after its’ first in 2016. The theme of the 2019 National TB Conference was tagged “building Stronger Partnerships to End TB in Nigeria. It was aimed at enriching the public with the knowledge about TB with a heightened commitment to the fight against the TB scourge in the country.

At the event, wife of the President, Dr Mrs Aisha Buhari humbly represented by her Chief of Staff Dr Hajo Sani, decried the high rate of tuberculosis (TB) case detection and treatment in Nigeria, saying “it is unacceptable that over 170,000 people die yearly from the disease across the country. Over 600,000 people become infected with TB in Nigeria every year. It is projected that up to 60,000 of those new cases affect children. It is also not acceptable that Nigeria is having one of the lowest TB case detection rates in the world as it is currently detecting about 25 per cent of TB cases with over 170,000 Nigerians dying from a preventable and curable disease. My mandate is to deliver the Eco bank brand promise as platform of choice in Nigeria – Akinwuntan (Opens in a new browser tab). This is not an enviable position and situation for any country and it must change.” She stressed the need to accelerate efforts toward combating the disease, promised to use her position to mobilise more resources for TB from the government. She promised to engage the wives of the 36 states governors and fellow African first ladies towards allying to position the disease in the political agenda of governments at all levels.

Also in attendance were global key stakeholders, TB Champions, development partners, donor agencies, medical professionals and HIFASS’ Programme Coordinator, Godfrey Akadonye and Communication Officer, Linda Obi, among others who witnessed various exhibitions of interventions in the testing and treatment of Tuberculosis in Nigeria.

At the conference, the Communication Officer, Linda Obi commended the effort of the TB ACSM social media group which was created months ago(as reported) but advised that measures on advocacy on TB are heightened on the grass-root level in a language it is best understood.