A Non-Governmental Organization, Gender Perspective and Social Development Centre, (GPSDC), has solicited prompt release of funds budgeted for government's response to tuberculosis in Anambra State.
The Executive Director of the organization, Eucharia Anekwe, made the call when her team visited the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Chisom Uchem in her office to solicit support for the Fund TB Project in the area.
Represented by GPSDC's Program Manager, Ogechukwu Ozoemena, Anekwe regretted that despite that tuberculosis has not enjoyed much governmental funding like HIV and malaria in the state, the little amount budgeted for it is not always released.
She appealed to the Executive Secretary and others influential government officials in the health sector to change the narrative around TB treatment in the area.
"We are a cluster of five NGOs implementing the project in South-South and South-East regions, but our organization implements it in Anambra State. Our focus is to improve funding for tuberculosis intervention in Anambra State.
"We are advocating to stakeholders to work together towards increasing domestic TB funding in the state. There was no release for tuberculosis in 2023.
Anekwe also wants the people at the community level to take ownership of tuberculosis campaign in their localities.
"We appeal to everyone in Anambra, when you see anyone showing symptoms of tuberculosis, report promptly to the appropriate quarters so that such a person can be treated immediately.
"We are also specially appealing to the state government to release the budgeted funds for tuberculosis intervention".
Responding, the Executive Secretary, Uchem, welcomed the intervention by the NGO assuring it of necessary support to enable it achieve the goal of the project in the area.
"We have tuberculosis centres across zones and some facilities which report to the zones. We do detection through our community based agents called CHIPS and ensure prompt referral of the sick to the right places for treatment.
"You know because of stigma, some people who are down with TB don't present themselves for treatment. I think that we need to deal with the stigma attached to tuberculosis to encourage people to seek treatment.
"While we assure to continue to do our bid in the area of TB response, the issue of funding should be directed to the ministry of health and that of Economic Planning and Budget," the Executive Secretary advised.
The project aims to enhance and sustainable service delivery through increased domestic investment for Tuberculosis (TB) interventions in five South-East and South-South states of Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, and Imo.
Apart from GPSDC, the intervention which lasts for six months, is anchored by four other NGOs including Policy Alert, Center for Healthworks, Development and Research Initiative (CHEDRES), Concern for Women and Youth Empowerment (COWOYEM), and Initiative for the Prevention and Control of Diseases (IPCD) and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Palladium Group.