AHF Urges Govt To Prioritise Tuberculosis Prevention, Treatment

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria, to mark World Tuberculosis (TB) Day has urged leaders at all levels of government to prioritise the prevention and treatment of TB.

The Foundation in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP revealed that Tuberculosis is one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases that is the leading cause of death for people living with HIV, yet 100% preventable and treatable.

In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP, AHF Nigeria Advocacy & Marketing Manager, Steve Aborisade said the Foundation in partnership with other stakeholders, particularly the TB programs in its state of operation – Abuja-FCT, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Kogi and Nasarawa states – are saying ‘Yes! We Can End TB’.

“Across these states, we will be honoring the millions of lives lost to TB while urging leaders at all levels of government to prioritize TB prevention and treatment efforts.

“Through dedicated radio awareness effort, AHF Nigeria with officials from the office of TB focal persons in these states shall be educating the public on TB prevention and creating awareness about the availability of free TB treatment, across Nigeria.

“Through this effort, all the TB Directly observed Therapy (DOT) centers across AHF Nigeria states of operations shall be popularized so that people can be aware of where to seek help for TB treatment and be knowledgeable about identifying cases and referring them to care and treatment.

AHF Nigeria Country Program Director,  Dr. Echey Ijezie emphasised the importance for stakeholders to create greater awareness about TB and ensure that people get tested for TB and HIV. TB is treatable while the treatment is quite accessible and free across Nigeria.

“It is in this regard that AHF Nigeria is happy to contribute to the existing efforts of the Nigerian TB program through awareness creation and driving greater community involvement and participation through the strategic engagement of community-based organizations (CBOs) and their civil society (CSOs) counterparts.”

According to the World Health Organization, TB claimed 1.3 million lives in 2022, including 167,000 people living with HIV, with an estimated nearly 11 million people falling ill to TB worldwide.

Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat, yet only about 2 in 5 people with MDR-TB accessed treatment in 2022. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 75 million lives since 2000.

World TB Day is recognized annually on March 24.