24th March 2011 -- At the 2011 World TB Day celebration event, The World Health Organization in Nigeria donated Digital X-ray machines procured with support of the Global Fund (GFATM), Lab equipments and reagents procured with support of USAID to the Federal Ministry of Health.

The donated items worth over $520,000 include:

3 Digital mobile x-rays, 3 mobile Generators (12.5KVA), 7 Dell laptop computers and 7HP Printer LaserJet 2015 to support the conduct of the National prevalence survey.
35 Olympus binocular Microscopes, 540,000 Sputum containers and 540 boxes of laboratory consumable kits to support DOTS expansion activities in the 17 USAID supported states.
3 LED Microscopes to strengthen TB diagnosis in the USAID supported states.
The WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. David Okello in his speech on this occasion noted that TB still remains a public health problem in Nigeria with an estimated 295/100,000 population (460,000 TB cases) of all forms of TB occurring annually. He stated that the actual burden of TB in Nigeria is unknown which currently creates challenges in assessing the actual progress towards the TB MDGS. He reiterated the supports provided by WHO to strengthening DOTS expansion activities in the 17 USAID states and the Nation at large since 2002 which has contributed immensely to the increased in number of TB cases notified and treated annually by the programme.

He further stated that WHO will continue to partner with Government and other stakeholders towards supporting innovative strategies that will enhance the achievement of TB MDGs at the country level which is in line with the slogan for the 2011 World TB day “on the move against tuberculosis”. He charged all stakeholders to support the Government in the successful conduct of the National TB prevalence survey to determine the actual burden of TB in Nigeria.

The Honorable Minister of Health ably represented by the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute mni while receiving the items from the WHO Representative expressed sincere appreciation to the organization for the items donated and stated that Government will continue to work with all stakeholders in ensuring that all TB MDGs are achieved by the National TB control programme.

The occasion commemorating the 2011 World TB day and the handing over of the donated items by WR to GoN was witnessed by the representatives of several bilateral and multilateral organizations amongst which were the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Centre for Disease Control (CDC), German Leprosy Relief Association (GLRA), the Leprosy Mission International (TLMI), and various stakeholders supporting the Tuberculosis and Leprosy control programmes including the Principal Recipient of the TB Global Fund Round 9 consolidated grant, the Association for Reproductive Health (ARFH).