The World Health Organisation claimed Nigeria has greatly enhanced its national Tuberculosis case detection by 50 per cent in 2021 utilizing novel ways.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, made this known in her statement in recognition of World TB Day.
World TB Day is commemorated annually on March 24 to increase public awareness of the catastrophic physical, social and economic effects of this avoidable illness and advocate for rapid action to stop it.
This year’s theme, ‘Yes, we can eradicate TB’, stresses the need to promote equal access to prevention and treatment, by the push towards Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Moeti said it was crucial to discover and diagnose instances of TB so that the patients might be treated, and their contacts supplied preventative medicine.
“Nigeria is an example of a country that managed to significantly increase national TB case finding by 50 per cent in 2021 using innovative approaches such as the expansion of the daily observed treatment protocols, use of digital technologies, Community Active Case Finding, and enlisting Public Private Mix initiatives.
“TB demands comprehensive effort by all sectors: from communities and enterprises to governments, civil society and others,” she added in a news release.
She said the African Region was on the cusp of obtaining a 35 per cent TB mortality reduction as there has been a 26 per cent drop in TB fatalities between 2015 and 2021.
“Seven nations — Eswatini, Kenya, Mozambique, South Soudan, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia—have attained a 35 per cent decrease in mortality since 2015,” she observed.
She, however, criticized the obstacles in TB prevention and control.
“First, the delayed diagnosis and testing. There is still a substantial discrepancy between the projected number of new infections and case notifications of TB: 40 per cent of patients living with TB did not aware of their diagnosis or it was not reported in 2021. One million individuals are living with TB in the area and have not been discovered.
“Second, the relationship between TB and HIV. Roughly 20 per cent of those newly diagnosed with TB are simultaneously living with HIV infection.
“Third, the multi-drug resistant TB. In the African area, just 26 per cent of the persons living with multi-drug resistance are getting the necessary treatment.”
However, she complimented the member states for the rising use of innovative tools and recommendations proposed by WHO, resulting in early access to TB prevention and treatment, and improved results.
“In the African Area, the adoption of quick diagnostic testing has grown from 34 per cent in 2020 to 43 per cent in 2021, which will enhance countries’ capacity to identify and diagnose new instances of the illness.
“We must work together to create novel techniques to target disadvantaged groups and guarantee that they have access to excellent TB care and treatment.
“The second UN High-level Conference on TB in September 2023 will offer a unique chance to provide global awareness of the illness and generate a high-level political commitment to eradicate TB.
“Ending TB is conceivable given the drop in TB fatalities and cases, and the removal of economic and social costs connected with it.
“Especially today, I encourage leaders, governments, partners, communities, and all stakeholders to quickly nurture the robust health systems necessary to expedite the TB response so that we may attain the Sustainable Development Goals objectives by 2030. Yes, we can end TB in our lifetime,” she added.
