TB cases complicated by COVID-19, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the global community to act in unison with rededicated efforts, using latest available technology and tools, to address the Tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. TB is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide. Hisbah commander ‘diverted’ COVID-19 palliatives meant for staff States get N66bn in new COVID-19 budget President Buhari, […]

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the global community to act in unison with rededicated efforts, using latest available technology and tools, to address the Tuberculosis (TB) epidemic.

TB is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide.

• Hisbah commander ‘diverted’ COVID-19 palliatives meant for staff
• States get N66bn in new COVID-19 budget

President Buhari, in his goodwill message to the roundtable conference of the Board of the “Global Stop TB Partnership”, voiced concern that efforts at ending a preventable and curable disease like TB were now complicated because of COVID-19.

“Nigeria still ranks amongst those countries bearing the brunt of an increasing burden of TB with a growing number of ‘missing’ TB cases.

“The reversal of Nigeria’s difficult health indices, remains a top priority of this administration, including the gap in TB case detection, fueled partly by the dearth of acceptable, accessible, affordable and patient centered basic health facilities,’’ the President told the roundtable session of Honorable Ministers of Health, during the 33rd Board Meeting of the Global Stop TB Partnership.

Buhari, while speaking on efforts to reverse TB cases in the country, said his government had conceptualized and is currently implementing the Primary Health Care (PHC) revitalization programme, to empower more PHC centres to provide quality basic healthcare in the treatment of TB, HIV, malaria and other health challenges, delivered in a patient-centered way.