By Hassan Zaggi
For the umpteen time, the issue of inadequate funding for Tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria has come to the fore.
This is even the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB Partnership have called for increased domestic funding of TB in the Nigeria.
Speaking at a media round table (virtual), organised by Stop TB Partnership in Nigeria, in collaboration with the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) of the Federal Ministry of Health, yesterday, with the theme: ”Journey to End TB by 2030: How far are we,” the WHO Professional Officer on Tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria, Dr Amos Omoniyi, regretted that Nigeria is off track, hence, may not achieve the of ending TB by 2030.
He, therefore, reiterated the need for the mobilization of adequate local resources to frontally combat the dreaded disease.
Dr. Omoniyi, however, disclosed that 70 per cent of TB budget in 2021 was not funded.
This is even as only 23 per cent of the TB funding in 2021 came from donors and partners with only 7 per cent from the government.
According to him:” the number of people falling ill with TB incidence in 2020 are 452,000. TB incidence rate 2020 is 219 per 100,000 population.
“TB death rate in 2020 is 75 per 100,000 population.
The number of deaths in 2020 is 156,000 (meaning one person every three minutes due to TB.
“To end TB in Nigeria, we must implement data-driven evidence-based and technology-enhanced interventions as contained in the NSP/lesson learnt. Mobilize adequate domestic resources.
“Also, efforts need to be ramped up as 452,000 Nigerians fall ill with TB every year, while one person dies of TB every 3 minute.”
On his part, the Deputy Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership in Geneva, Dr. Sahu Suvanand, called on the federal government to increase domestic funding of TB through budgetary allocations.
He, however, disclosed that globally $250 billion is needed yearly to fight TB.
Speaking, the Director and National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Program at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, disclosed that, Nigeria ranked 6th among the high TB burden countries and first in Africa.
He noted that Nigeria is among the 10 countries that accounted for 70 per cent of the global gap and stands as a priority for ending TB in the world. 91 per cent of TB patients in the country are affected by catastrophic costs.
“Last year, we were able to notify over 207,000 cases of TB. There is however still more to be done to end TB in Nigeria,” Dr. Anyaike stressed.
