Tuberculosis: Plateau State Govt Tasked With Management As 1,500 Cases Were Detected in Q1 2024

In Plateau State, stakeholders in the control, treatment and management of tuberculosis have asked the government to provide funding for the management of the disease, revealing that over 1,500 cases of the disease were detected in the first quarter of this year.

Speaking at one of the series of technical dialogue sessions on tuberculosis funding, treatment and control under the auspices of the USAID-sponsored Northern Nexus Cluster for the control of Tuberculosis in Northern Nigeria held in Jos, Programme Manager Tuberculosis (TB), Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme in Plateau State (PLSTBLCP), Dr. Maxwell Jublick, decried the low funding in the fight against the scourge of the disease in the state.

He said that funding has been largely driven by development partners- USAID and GlobalFund, adding that Plateau State has no funding line for tuberculosis control, leading to a surge in the incidence of the disease in the state.

Jublick observed that the last release by the state for the TB programme, which was not enough to cover the funding gap in TB control programmes, came during the previous administration.

Represented by Lenkat Joseph Mukan, Jublick outlined the many challenges that hamper active case finding and cause increased mortality rates among patients with TB including lack of training of Local Government TB and Leprosy Supervisors (LGTBLSs), inadequate weighing scales, quarterly continuous On-site Data Validation, outreaches to slumps, schools and correctional facilities, commemoration of World TB Day, Direct Observation Treatment Sites (DOTS), Refresher training for DOTS officers and administrative cost among others.

He said: “Normally we start with screening the patients by the signs and symptoms of tuberculosis. So, there must be adequate screening; that is the first thing to do. When we screen, we get some samples to the lab for diagnosis. When we take the samples to the lab, we don’t have all the equipment to diagnose TB, like the G-Expert machine which ideally, we should have in every local government area.

“We need human resources too, which is very important. Lack of human resources and adequate training is another limiting factor. All these require lots of funds.”

Meanwhile, the executive director of KRP-FEMA, Kaneng Rwang-Pam, said that the engagements aim to create awareness about TB and funding gaps. She said that there’s a need for an increase in local funding, especially the payment of the counterpart funding to bridge the gap as donors are already becoming fatigued.

Rwang-Pam further said: “Our aim is to bring everybody on board- government, public and private sector, faith-based and humanitarian organisations and individuals – to contribute their little quota to the fight against TB.”

In his remarks, Executive Director of Eagle Lead Development Initiative (ELDI), Peter Ezekiel, said there is a need to increase political and administrative commitment so as to encourage legislators to give TB control a priority in the state’s health agenda by guaranteeing TB programmes receive steady funding and support.

He said, “NGOs, foreign partners, and government agencies should work together more closely to develop a cohesive strategy for tuberculosis control. There’s also the need to address drug resistance and improve treatment adherence and to guarantee that patients finish their TB treatment, and put in place patient support networks like treatment partners or community health professionals. Improve surveillance methods to quickly identify and treat drug-resistant tuberculosis cases while making sure the right treatment guidelines are crucial.

“There’s equal need to ensure sustainable funding by encouraging more government funding and looking at sustainable financing strategies, such as including the private sector in Plateau State TB Programme funding, integrating TB care into larger health insurance systems, and also adopting affordable TB preventive and treatment plans while making sure the monies available are spent wisely.”

Ezekiel, who is also the Plateau State Programme Officer GF/NACA/TBN C19RM Project, said that “By putting the aforementioned tactics into practice, Plateau State can greatly improve the efficacy of its tuberculosis control initiatives.”

KRP FEMA officials and media partners paid advocacy visits to ministries of finance, health, the State TB control programme office, and health institutions. The series of engagements is aimed to raise awareness, promote advocacy, and strengthen partnerships in the fight against TB.