WHO and KNVC Nigeria seek more funding to tackle tuberculosis in Nigeria
The World Health Organisation, KNCV Nigeria, and other experts have urged governments at all levels to enhance their financial commitment towards TB in order to accomplish Nigeria’s objective of eliminating the illness by 2030.
The announcement was made during a news conference in Abuja prior to 2024 World Tuberculosis Day.
The consistently low levels of knowledge, particularly in rural regions, pose a significant challenge to initiatives aimed at combating the deadly disease.Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterium, is the causative agent of tuberculosis, a disease that predominantly affects the respiratory system.
Tuberculosis is the most infectious illness worldwide and is among the top 10 causes of mortality globally.Nigeria, the largest country in Africa, ranks sixth globally among 30 nations with the highest prevalence of tuberculosis (TB). Additionally, it has the top position in Africa with regards to the quantity of tuberculosis cases that go unnoticed or undiagnosed. Despite this significant burden, Nigeria faces a 70% financing shortfall for tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious disease that causes death globally and is in the top 10 causes of mortality.Africa had almost 2.4 million tuberculosis (TB) infections in 2022, with Nigeria accounting for 479,000 cases, which is around 19% of the total. Nigeria accounted for 97,900 (23%) of the 424,000 tuberculosis-related fatalities in Africa during the same year. Surprisingly, Nigeria experiences a mortality rate of one individual per five-minute interval due to tuberculosis.Dr. Amos Omoniyi, a WHO official, stressed the importance of allocating more resources to address tuberculosis.Although tuberculosis is both treatable and preventive, it nonetheless causes fatalities on a regular basis.
The designated topic for the next World Tuberculosis Day in 2024 is “Yes, we can eradicate TB,” whereas Nigeria has chosen the phrase “No tolerance for TB; thoroughly examine it.” Dr. Bethrand Odume, the Executive Director of KNCV TB Foundation Nigeria, emphasised the imperative of collaborative endeavours to fulfil promises to eradicate tuberculosis by 2030.Every year on March 24th, we observe World Tuberculosis Day to raise awareness of the disease’s consequences.
By Nnaemeka Odenigbo
