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The Manager of the State Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Burili Ulcer Control Program, Dr Ugochukwu Chukwulobelu has said that paucity of funds has slowed down response to the increasing incidents and prevalence of tuberculosis in Anambra State.
Chukwulobelu disclosed this at a one-day Consultative Breakfast meeting on Tuberculosis with the Private Sector, organized by the Gender Perspective and Social Development Centre, as part of its Fund TB Project in Anambra State.
The project implemented by five NGOs across five South-East and South-South states, is funded by USAID through the Palladium Group, under its Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE).
Represented by the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Chiamaka Oguejiofor, the TB Program Manager noted with dismay that despite being a significant public health challenge, the response to TB has been majorly donor-driven.
He said, “323 persons in every 100,000 have TB while we record 219 per 100,000 new TB cases TB annually. However, the summary of our problem is funding. If there is funding, sustainability will be assured even in the face of donor fatigue.
“Please, I am categorically saying that despite several memos we wrote last year, none was approved and no money was released to us from the budgeted amount.
“Be that as it may, Anambra state has about 800 DOT sites, 14 Gene Xpert machines, 13 Gene Xpert sites and 1 Truenat machine among others which have greatly increased access to treatment.”
The Program Manager explained that despite the deadly nature of the disease, a patient who has been undergoing treatment for a week is incapable of infecting anyone around him.
“It is important that people understand this so we can reduce stigmatization that comes with the disease. Also note that treatment and diagnosis for tuberculosis is free in Anambra state.
“We have centres that offer such services across all local government areas,” he concluded as he pleaded with private sector players to come in to fill the wide funding gap,” the Manager added.
A civil society activist, Chima Asomba, also reemphasized the benefits of private sector involvement in eradicating tuberculosis in the area. “With the transparency and accountability I have seen in TB control programme in Anambra State, I assure you that you can invest in DOT facilities, diagnostic tools, as well as education and sensitisation, which is at the root of the TB response.
“In some local governments like Awka North, Orumba North and others, we don’t have diagnostic tools for TB. You people can help to bridge the gap. It will go a long way in boosting domestic efforts towards eradicating TB in the state”.
The Executive Director, GPSDC, Eucharia Anekwe, spoke further in the same direction. “You can design the souvenirs for your company or business centre with a message such as“Stop TB”. We have some TB patients that are malnourished. You can support them with nutritious feeding. Some of them need transport to go for treatment. You can meet that need. You can equally support outreaches against tuberculosis”.
Earlier in an address of welcome, GPSDC’s Program Manager, Oge Ozoemena, expressed confidence in the ability of the private sector players, especially those in attendance at the meeting to assist in improving the TB response in the area.
In their separate speeches, Emmanuel Nwachukwu of the UKJ Ventures promised to support the campaign by GPSDC within their means, while Emmanuel Chukwuemerie of Damarvey Pharmacy, also pledged assistance even as he called for a sustained awareness creation campaign about the disease.
“The awareness is still very low. However, TB is a very dangerous disease which most of our people do not know about. There is need for more sensitisation. We promise to partner with your organisation in anyway we can. Please, carry on with this advocacy”.
For her part, Chisom Ukwuoma, who represented the Rose Specialist Hospital Onitsha, said,“We like what this initiative is all about. As someone who had lived with a TB patient some years ago, I know what it means to suffer from it. We will also provide support in any possible way”.
Ugochukwu Ozoemena of Bellgo Global, equally pledged allegiance to the campaign. “I will reach out to a couple of friends who will come to assist this campaign in the interest of our helpless brothers and sisters”.
In a presentation on Transformative Budgeting and Financing for Improved Tuberculosis Services in Nigeria, Faith Paulinus, the Head, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Fund TB Cluster, called on the Anambra State Government to show greater commitment to the fight against TB through increased domestic budgeting and releases,
“We also called on the private sector to incorporate TB into their companies’ corporate social responsibility, CSR, as an excellent way of supporting TB efforts in the state.
“You can acquire GeneXpert machines. You can provide funds to subsidize TB diagnosis. You can also help to create TB awareness in the workplace”.
The State TB Network Coordinator, Ify Unachukwu had earlier stressed the need for separate funding for different programmes in the health sector. “This is important so that we will know how much government budgets for a particular program each year instead of lumping everything up.
“We have experimented the private sector involvement in health care provision in many communities and it worked well. I wish the government could reach out to the private sector players for assistance around TB program in the state,”Unachukwu said.
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