Group Calls for Collective Approach Towards Eradication of Tuberculosis in Anambra

By Praise Chinecherem

Gender Perspective and Social Development Centre (GPSDC) has called on relevant stakeholders including media professionals and civil societies to join hands in ensuring eradication of tuberculosis in Anambra State.

Representative of the Policy Alert for the Fund TB cluster, Faith Paulinus made the call during a one-day workshop for Supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Palladium Group.

He said the call became necessary following reported increase in the number of citizens falling casualties owing to the spread of the dreaded disease in the area.

He said the project was aimed at enhancing and sustaining service delivery through increased domestic investment for Tuberculosis (TB) interventions in Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, and Imo states.

He said, “The project which looks at the transformative budget and finances to improve tuberculosis services in Nigeria is aimed at increasing funding for TB and to ensure that there is a budget line items for TB.

“In Anambra, we are looking to see how government could increase actual releases for TB even though the state has made some level of progress.

“We have looked through the state’s monthly implementation reports for fourth quarter of the 2023 and out of the N60 million budgeted for TB intervention in the state, N21million was spent which is a huge step in the right direction and signifies 48 percent of the budgets during that period. We commend the government for that but yearn for more.”

Paulinus urged participants to cascade information about TB to all quarters, while ensuring that government pays adequate attention to the areas of need in the society.

He also tasked the CSOs to, as the conscience of the society, speak to those in power on the need for TB not only having a budget line and figures being allocated but ensuring actual releases for the program.

“We must also contribute our quota in educating and enlightening the public towards the eradication of the TB menace in the society,” he added.

Dr Ifeanyi Obiefuna, one of the resource persons who spoke on “Current Policy and Budgetary Environment for TB and Policy Alternatives, urged civil societies and media to sit-up in the fight against TB, stressing that the disease takes over 250 lives daily in Nigeria.

He identified understanding current landscape and budgets issues, engaging stakeholders, use of visual aids, driving and monitoring policy changes and advocating for transparency as avenues journalists and CSOs can ensure effective control of TB in the state.

Speaking on “Leveraging effective communication, storyteller, and skillful Advocacy for policy and behavioral change,” Coordinator of TB Network in Anambra State, Ify Unachukwu, stressed the importance of coalition in policy advocacy on TB in the state.

Unachukwu identified research and evidence, clear and concise messaging, targeted communication, building relationships as the “principles of advocacy.” She also listed advocacy planning, goal setting, stakeholder mapping, action plan, monitoring and evaluation as steps for effective advocacy.

Earlier Executive Director of GPSDC, Mrs Eucharia Anekwe said the event was targeted at effecting meaningful change and improving health outcomes for those affected by tuberculosis in Anambra state.

She said the workshop provided valuable insight into effective advocacy strategies, skills and also the opportunity to share experiences and best practices of advancing TB interventions in communities.