President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the Government commitment towards eradicating Tuberculosis in Nigeria by revitalising Primary Health Care programmes with the aim of empowering PHCs to provide credible health care.
President Buhari who stated this at the 33rd Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting, stressed the urgent need for global community especially Africans to imbibe new technology in tackling TB cases.
In a remark, Wife of the president who is also a global TB champion and Ambassador, Hajia Aisha Buhari, advocated more political commitment, effective partnership and increased resources at regional, national and global levels to curb TB.
On his part, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who said WHO global report shows that Africa accounted for 25 percent of TB cases in 2019 with Nigeria having the highest TB burden, added that advent of COVID-19 eroded on some gains made in TB control efforts.
Meanwhile, Senior Disease Coordinator at Global Fund, Dr. Eliud Wandwalo, announced global fund’s decision to commit $500 million to fight against TB in Nigeria and other 10 Africa Countries which are high burden Countries and continent.
The Deputy Executive Director of Stop TB Partnership secretariat in Geneva, Suvanand Sahu said the round table discussion was geared towards designing strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on TB elimination programs.
Olaoluwa Adekunle
