Nigeria must declare TB an emergency ― NOA, Stop TB Partnership

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Stop TB Partnership Nigeria and other experts have tasked the Federal Government and stakeholders in the health sector to declare Tuberculosis (TB) as an emergency as it did on COVID-19 pandemic; saying that poor awareness on TB and neglect over the years have limit TB prevention and control.

They have also advocated for more funding of TB from the government, as well as more engagement by stakeholders to stop the spread of the disease.

TB is currently one of the leading causes of death in the country, the experts said; regretting, however, that despite this, Nigerians lack information about it while only 27 per cent of public health workers know the cause of TB.

Speaking during a Virtual Media Roundtable Organised by Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, the Deputy Director, Health Orientation and Communication, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Ayoola Olufemi, emphasised on the need for all stakeholders to see Tuberculosis as an emergency.

He stated that government and stakeholders must also deploy more resources in terms of funding and human power to carry out assessment among the vulnerable.

Dr Olufemi said: “We need to look at the strategy that was used for COVID-19 which is emergency risk communications. We need to build effective communications and utilize multiple channels to pass a message across to people.

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“We need human angle stories that will bring pictures of people suffering from Tuberculosis. We need to develop behavioural change materials in different languages so as to sensitise the public about the ailment”.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr Ayodele Awe, regretted that awareness about Tuberculosis is still very low in the country, even when Nigeria has the highest tuberculosis burden in the continent.

Dr Awe stressed the need to address the wrong misconception about Tuberculosis in the public domain, even as he advised patients to give the right information about their situation.

The Chairman also advised health practitioners to engage their patients in a right manner, ask the right questions, and update the details of their patients to prevent the wrong diagnosis.

According to the Director, Head of Advocacy and Social Mobilisation of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, Mrs Itohowo Uko, there must be more information and awareness to sensitize Nigerians about TB.

She lamented that the knowledge gap about Tuberculosis was still very low, and a large number of people were not aware of the disease. about the

Dr Uko pointed out that many Nigerians still use traditional alternative in treating Tuberculosis; while many still believe that TB is not real, hence do not take the necessary measures.

She said the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has limited the treatment of TB; as some health workers were reluctant to handle samples of TB for testing because of the similarities in the symptoms of TB and COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Dr Uko assured the public that several plans were being put in place to develop materials to ascertain the difference between COVID-19 and Tuberculosis.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE