Experts in the health sector have said the quest to eliminate Tuberculosis by 2030 goes beyond just hospitals and treatments but involves an active engagement of communities at the grassroot level.
The National Coordinator of the African Coalition on TB, Mr Ibrahim Umoru who made this disclosure at the TB Affected Community and Civil Society Dialogue during the ongoing National TB Conference in Abuja, insisted grassroot participation was central to the fight against TB.
He said: “TB is not just a hospital issue; it’s a community issue. When someone has TB, they come from a home, a family, and a community. Addressing it requires a strong community component.”
According to him, Nigeria was able to set the pace in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic which brought the entire world to its feet, through the adaptation of TB diagnostic tools for testing which helped in detecting not only COVID-19 cases but also TB.
“During the pandemic, while many countries struggled Nigeria excelled. Resilience serves as a model for the global community. While many countries struggled, Nigeria excelled. This resilience serves as a mod for the global.community.”
Deputy Project Director for Tuberculosis at Breakthrough Action Nigeria, Dr. Bolatito Ayedigba, highlighted innovative campaigns such as the ‘Cough, Check Am O’ campaign’ as effective in dispelling myths and encouraging individuals to seek TB testing without fear of stigmatization.
“This campaign encouraged people to seek testing without, ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment..The national TB hotline guides individuals on next steps and ensures access to diagnostic and treatment services.”
Concerned about the adverse effects of stigmatisation which she said has continued to pose a significant barrier to TB control, Ayedigba regretted that societal judgment and self-stigmatization prevent many from seeking timely treatment.
She assured those with TB who were scared of getting the proper treatment for fear of stigmatisation, to do so as TB was not a death sentence
Ayedigba however disclosed that plans were underway to put laws that would address stigmatisation against people living with TB soonest saying, “We are working on laws that will help curb stigma and discrimination. Such policies will encourage more people to seek treatment adding that TB was not a death sentence; many have recovered fully from TB.
