Improved Tuberculosis Funding Will Address Gap In Pediatric TB Case Finding


Prudence Eboagwu-Ijah 

The urgent need to address the huge gap in pediatric Tuberculosis case finding has been reinstated in the face of the rising cases of Tuberculosis in children. 


The Executive Director, KNVC TB Foundation Nigeria Dr Berthrand Odume who disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the 2022 Pre-World TB day press conference stated that despite efforts to improve uptake of BCG immunization, alot needs to be done. 
“There is a huge gap in pediatric TB case finding, even as we have witnessed rising cases of TB meningitis, despite efforts to improve uptake of BCG nationwide”
“The priority has shifted to genexpert molecular testing and it is imperative for these machines to be available in all states of the federation.”
“Tuberculosis program is 70% underfunded hence the need for improved funding” Dr Berthrand Odume said. 
Speaking on the overview of TB situation in Nigeria, the National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) Dr Chukwuma Anyaike stressed the need to cut the chain of Tuberculosis by stopping the transmission of TB which can only be achieved through improved case finding. 
Dr Anyaike further revealed that the rise in cases of drug resistant TB in children is worrisome hence the need to address this trend. 
He therefore called for an expansion of diagnostic platforms so as to find the missing cases and place them on treatment.  The Acting Board Chair, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria Dr. Queen Ogbuji reinstated that Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers, as each day, about 4,100 people lose their lives to TB and nearly 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. 
 “TB is the leading cause of death of people with HIV and a major contributor to antimicrobial resistance. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 66 million lives since the year 2000” Ogbuji said. 
 The chair, 2022 World TB Day planning Dr Bolatito Aiyenigba called for integrated efforts by all stakeholders in achieving improved TB funding and case finding. 

This World TB Day is an opportunity to focus on the people affected by this disease and to call for accelerated action to end TB suffering and deaths.
The theme for 2022 World TB Day is “Invest to End TB. Save Lives”. And the slogan for Nigeria is “Give More, Do more, End TB Now!” The theme – ‘Invest to End TB. Save Lives’ – conveys the urgent need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB and achieve the commitments to end TB made by global leaders.

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