Integration of Tuberculosis Into Katsina Health Budget Advocated For By CSOs

Civil Society Organisations in Katsina State are advocating for the integration of tuberculosis (TB) health services into the state 2023 health budget in order to tackle the infectious disease in the state.

The CSOs have also called for an improved funding for tuberculosis and integration of its services into the state Contributory Healthcare Scheme so as to bridge “the huge existing gap” in TB management.

While speaking at a CSOs engagement workshop for TB domestic resources mobilisation, Abdulmalik Abdulrazeez, the state Coordinator of Development Governance International Consult (DGI Consult), stated that 90 per cent of TB funding was from donors.

He explained that with adequate budgetary allocations, a timely release of appropriation for tuberculosis services as well as its integration into the health insurance scheme would help significantly in tackling the contagious disease.

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“Presently, there is no budget line for tuberculosis in Katsina and many other states in Nigeria. So we called on the Katsina State Government to integrate tuberculosis services into the state health budget to eradicate tuberculosis cases in the state.”

AbdulRahman Abdullahi, the state Chairman of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, had urged for the state government to enroll tuberculosis patients into its contributory healthcare scheme.

He had also called on the government to ensure that adequate and sustainable funding mechanisms are put in place as it would guarantee sufficient healthcare services for tuberculosis patients in the state.

According to him, a sufficient and timely release of funds for tuberculosis health services by the government at all levels will help in enhancing service delivery as well as eliminating user fees for TB patients in the country. As he mentioned that public awareness about the effects of tuberculosis in the state will aid in the efforts towards tackling the epidemic, Abdullahi said that the CSOs would champion the war against the disease.