Abuja, 24 March 2015 - The Federal Government has renewed its commitment towards closing tuberculosis (TB) control gap in Nigeria including ensuring that all currently diagnosed drug-resistant TB patients are put on treatment.

The Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Al-Hassan gave this commitment at this year’s World Tuberculosis Day (WTBD) ministerial  press briefing and public lecture commemoratory event in Abuja on 24 March, 2015; with the theme “Nigeria unites against tuberculosis” and working slogan “support, reach, treat and cure everyone”.

He underscored that, this year’s WTBD “calls for a united front to fight the scourge of TB in our country” and proceeded to urge all stakeholders to collectively partner with the Federal Ministry of Health to implement TB control interventions at all levels of the health service delivery system as are defined through the recently launched National Strategic Plan. He also called for increased private sector contribution, using the example of what Chevron is doing, as was presented earlier by Senator Gbenga Aluko who highlighted the organization’s work in strengthening 23 TB clinics with required infrastructure, equipment and supplies.

Recently concluded national TB prevalence survey showed that case detection is very low at 16% and out of the estimated 560,000 cases in 2013, only about 100,000 cases were reported. This according to the report could be attributed to several factors including; low knowledge of early symptoms and signs of TB amongst the  general population, low index of suspicion among health workers, and inadequate access to diagnosis and treatment services.

In his goodwill message, the World Health Organization Country Representative (WR) to Nigeria, Dr Rui Gama Vaz, observed that the African Region had made significant progress to bring her TB epidemic under control with “the previously increasing trends of TB cases halted and a decline ensued since last four years”.

The WR further observed that Nigeria is where 15% of the world’s TB cases currently are being missed. He commended the government for having done well in Ebola and for currently being without polio cases for eight months. He indicated to the Minister of Health that the same can be achieved with TB.

Dr Vaz reaffirmed WHO’s continued support towards effective implementation of TB control activities in Nigeria including fostering sustainable technical partnerships.

Other organizations whose representatives spoke at the event include USAID, CDC, USG, CHAI and the Nigeria Prison Services. The event was also used to launch E-TB manager and GxAlert which have been developed with support from USAID.

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For more information, please contact:

Technical contacts:

Dr  Rex Mpazanje
Tel: +234 803 638 9632
Email:   pazanjer [at] who.int
Dr Ayodele Awe
Tel: + 234  803 525 0215
Email: awea [at] who.int
Media contact:

Ms Charity Warigon
Tel: +234 810 221 0093
Email: warigonc [at] who.int
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01. The Minister of Health (3rd  left) and WR at the World TB Day

02. The Minister launching the E-TB nanager and GxAlert system