By Hassan Zaggi
In an effort to tackle and reduce Tuberculosis (TB) burden in Liberia, a team of health experts from the country have come to Nigeria to learn from the experiences and success of Nigeria in the area of training of health workers.
Liberia and Nigeria are among countries with the highest TB burden in the world.
The learning and experience sharing focuses on e-learning innovative approach in the training of health workers.
This elearning Tuberculosis treatment course going on Liberia as well as some of the partners being trained in Nigeria are funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
The Liberian delegation was led by the Chief Medical Director and Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Francis Kateh.
Speaking, the convener of the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Disease Prevention and Research Development Initiative (AD-RAP), Dr.Joseph Enegela, said that the meeting was basically to learn how to manage TB through e-learning approach.
His organization, according to him, has so far trained over 800 health workers online on TB management with partners including KNCV and the National TB Programme.
The Liberian delegation, he said, have come to see how the training is done and its impact.
According to him: “They are here to do what we call a south south learning in how to manage TB patients.
My organisation the Africa Disease Prevention and Research Development Initiative is currently training health workers in Liberia on TB management, through e-learning.
“So what they have come here to do is to also see and learn from other partners in Nigeria whom we have trained through the e-learning platform to manage TB.
“For us, it is unique because all that we ever hear is not south learning, people coming from the West come to train us. Now we’re starting what we say is Africans train Africans, Africans learning from each other.”
On why focusing on TB, Dr. Enegela said: “First of all, let me say this, Nigeria and Liberia are among the 30 TB high burden countries in the world.
“There are other countries in Africa and Asia as well. TB is still a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the world today, it is a public health concern anywhere and even with the emergence of multidrug resistant TB.”
On his part, the Chief Medical Officer and the Deputy Minister of Health, Republic of Liberia, Dr. Francis Kateh, said: “I am here to look at the innovative approach that has been done here in Nigeria in terms of TB management.
“As we all know, COVID brought a bridge between countries in terms of training for health care workers. “So, this innovative approach using digital system to do continuous capacity building among health workers in order to provide quality healthcare services to the people is very critical.
“So, we have come over here to see what have been developed here in Nigeria, learn from it and partner with them to make sure that our people in Liberia are safe continuously.”
Responding to a question on current TB situation in Liberia, the Deputy Minister said: “We have not done a prevalence study for TB in Liberia due to a lot of reasons.
“First, we are undertaken a sample for an area which is densely populated where almost 60 per cent of the TB burden of the country is. So, based on what we are doing now, we should be able to have the actual number. The fact is that Liberia has a major TB burden.” Other beneficiaries of the e-training including CARITAS Foundation applauded AD-RAP for the e-learning initiative which, according to them, have saved them a lot of resources and time.
