Critical stakeholders in the health sector in Anambra State have resolved to work together towards reducing the burden of tuberculosis in the area.
While Nigeria ranks number six in the world and number one in Africa, with every local government having TB cases, Anambra has the highest burden of TB drug resistance cases and childhood TB contribution in the South-East and the country at large.
This informed the one-day Stakeholders Roundtable Discussion on Unlocking Funding for TB interventions., which was organized by Fund TB Cluster anchored by Policy Alert and partnered with the Palladium Group under the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project, funded by USAID.
Addressing the stakeholders including government officials, CSO advocates and media professionals, the Head, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Fund TB Cluster, Faith Paulinus, explained that the event was to drive home the demand for transformative budgeting which would lead to increased funding for TB.
“There's still seventy percent gap in TB funding and the little we are doing is also donor-driven. So, if funders pull out, there will be problems.
“Anambra State has done considerably well compared with other states in South East and South-South regions. The fourth quarter 2023 implementation report shows that Anambra spent 21 million out of 50 million budgeted for TB intervention in the state. But, there's room for improvement.
“We will hold everyone accountable for the commitment expressed here. We want to see that ten percent of 50 million allocated for TB programming is being released before the end of the year. The CSOs should be ready to work towards achieving this. We equally want to see robust private sector engagement,” Paulinus said.
In an opening speech, Ogechukwu Ozoemena, the Project Manager, Gender Perspective and Social Development Centre, (GPSDC), which executes the project in Anambra State, described the gathering as an opportunity to share insights, strategies and efforts towards achieving the goal of Fund TB project in the area.
“Today’s meeting is a crucial part of our mission to enhance and sustain domestic investment for TB interventions, aiming to bridge the substantial 70% funding gap required to effectively manage TB in our state.
In a remark, the Coordinator, State TB Control, Dr Ugochukwu Chukwulobelu, represented by Chiamaka Oguejiofor, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, explained that inadequate funding had stalled the speed of TB interventions. “Funding determines how far we can go. We have CBOs who penetrate those hard to reach areas in search of TB cases. But, we are hoping that if funds are available, we will do much more than we are doing now”.
On the occasion, the Executive Director, Anambra State AIDS Control Agency, ANSACA, Johnbosco Nkem Ementa represented by the Program Lead/Gender and Human Rights State Response Team Desk Officer, Ifeanyi Cyril, said, “our commitment is to continue to support TB patients. We are happy to be here working with others to stop escalation of TB cases.
While the State Coordinator of TB Network, Ify Unachukwu, stressed the need for private sector involvement, which has proven effective in addressing challenges in the health sector, the representative of the private sector, Ikechukwu Agwuilere of Dozie Oil, expressed their willingness to partner with government to halt the spread of tuberculosis in Anambra State.
The Managing Director, Anambra State Health Insurance Agency, (ASHIA), Dr Simeon Onyemaechi, represented by the Medical officer, Dr Sought out Okechi, said arrangements have reached advanced stage with the Global Fund towards enrolling over 20,000 TB patients into the health insurance scheme for better treatment.
The Director, Planning in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Arthur Iwuanya, called for close working relationship between the implementing NGO and relevant government institutions to achieve improved budgeting and releases for tuberculosis in the state.
“Liaise with Dr Chukwulobelu who coordinates the state’s TB control program so that they will effect the increase in their budget for 2025. That way, it will enjoy green light bilateral discussions which start very soon".
For her part, the State Health Financing Officer, Chizoba Mbanefo, argued that ensuring more releases for TB is more impactful than just raising the budgetary allocations without commensurate releases. “But, we must be able to present something backed with relevant data and figures. Let's task the TB campaigners to develop a policy brief which can be presented to the governor for his buy in”.
Speaking on behalf of the civil society, the Program Officer, Save the World Support Foundation (SAWOR), Chima Asomba, stressed the need to bridge the knowledge gaps about TB in the communities while advocating training and retraining of those implementing interventions especially at the DOT centres. “Also, training must be sustained. We must also increase the sensitization to deal with the issue of self stigma”.
Executive Director, GPSDC, Eucharia Anekwe, I am happy about the intervention. There are a lot of myths about tuberculosis. Most people do not know that it is infectious. Yes, we are talking about improving domestic funding but that is not enough without sensitization. This project will bring the messages about TB, its symptoms and every other thing to the grassroots.
On the part of the government, they have relaxed for too long leaving everything to the donors. But, I am happy that most of the inhibiting factors have been addressed. Ministries of Health, Economic Planning and Budget, ANSACA, Primary Health Care Development Agency, ASHIA are all here and have made commitment towards improved funding for TB in the state.
“I am happy that they also agreed to the need for private sector engagement and incidentally, the private sector was equally represented here and the representative also gave his commitment. I am excited about the outcome of this event today,” Anekwe concluded.
