From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has decried the poor funding of tuberculosis (TB) eradication programmes in Nigeria even as it disclosed that the country recorded a 0.52 per cent rise in deaths from the disease in 2020 when compared to previous years.
Experts in TB management linked the development to COVID-19 which altered global system particularly health care delivery system, thereby obstructing case detections and treatment.
WHO’s National Professional Officer for TB, Nigeria Office, Dr. Amos Omoniyi, who disclosed this at a virtual media engagement at the weekend, said the new development could jeopardise the chances of Nigeria eradicating TB by 2030.
He said the number of deaths from TB in 2020 was 156,000, meaning that one person died every three minutes due to TB.
“Unfortunately, TB related programmes in Nigeria are underfunded. Records indicated that about 70 per cent of TB budget in 2021 were not funded. So, it’s important to mobilise adequate domestic resources in combating this killer disease.”
He, however, expressed the optimistic that progress would be achieved in TB case management in Nigeria if the government would implement data-driven, evidence-based and technology-enhanced interventions as contained in the National Strategic Plan (NSP).
Deputy Executive Director of Stop TB Partnership, Suvanand Sahu, corroborated the earlier position that Nigeria was not on track to achieve the section of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to end TB and other related diseases by 2030.
He, however, said there’s hope for Nigeria if it immediately aligns with the global plan to end the disease.
He said the Stop TB Partnership has unveiled a cost plan which would guide the world in its effort to end TB.
National Coordinator of TB People Nigeria, Tope Adams, suggested that a state of emergency be declared on TB in Nigeria due to the fact that the disease has claimed many lives.