By Hassan Zaggi
KNCV TB foundation Nigeria is currently implementing a project christened- TB LON Project in 14 states of Nigeria.
The benefiting states include Bauchi, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Imo and Rivers State.
The TB LON Project is funded by USAID Nigeria and focuses on locally generated solutions to provide TB prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and notification, while addressing stigma and discrimination.
The project which is divided into 1 and 2 is being implemented by the KNCV TB Nigeria with the aim of
expanding the provision of and increase access to TB services among formal and informal health providers through the engagement of the private sector, umbrella and local chapters of health and allied professional organizations, faith-based institutions, communities and civil society.
The project is targeted at increasing the number of tuberculosis (TB) cases that are detected, treated and notified to 437,895 within the five year grant implementation period of 2020 to 2025.
The four intermediate results of the project, according to a statement made available to The AUTHORITY in Abuja, include to improved access to high-quality, person-centered TB, DR-TB, and TB/Human Immunodeficiency Virus (TB/HIV) services; strengthened TB service delivery platforms; reduce TB disease transmission and progression and accelerated TB innovations with improved impact on program implementation
The statement further noted that KNCV Nigeria is working with a consortium of partners- two sub recipients- CCCRN and KNCV International and six strategic service package providers- Intrasat Global, IPCD, Jana Health Foundation, Diadem Consult, Public Health Concerns Ltd and TB Network.
“Towards meeting the project set targets, KNCV Nigeria and partners adopted a mixed model of community and facility based, health systems strengthening strategies and digital solutions to find TB cases in a Roll in, Roll on and Roll out staged approach.
“Roll in is in year 1 which is the planning stage, collaborations and capacity building, Roll on is the saturation stage in Year 2,3 and 4 while Roll out in year 5 is the transitioning stage,” the statement noted.
