The Federal Government has flagged off the national active Tuberculosis (TB) case finding campaign tagged ‘Wellness on Wheels’ Campaign in Ogun State to tackle the epidemic rocking most parts of the country.
Speaking at the ceremony held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole said the initiative is part of the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to provide access to healthcare through partnership with development partners and other stakeholders in the country.
The minister who explained that Wellness on Wheels, is a collaborative effort of the Federal Ministry of Health and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Challenge TB project implemented by KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation added that TB remains an epidemic in most parts of the world, causing the deaths of nearly one-and-a-half million people each year, mostly in developing countries.
Adewole said, ”Nigeria ranks 4th among the 30 high TB burden countries globally and number one in Africa with a projected incidence rate of 322/100,000 population.
“You will recall that the Federal Ministry of Health in February this year declared 2017 as a year of accelerating TB case finding and treatment. This was in response to the high burden of TB and its associated morbidity and mortality in Ogun state and the country as a whole.
“During the declaration, I made a call to all stakeholders to join hands with the Federal and State Ministries of Health to significantly reduce the burden of TB in Nigeria through a concerted effort.
“In March this year, during the World TB Day, we held a week-long event across the country to raise national awareness about TB. At the national level, the highpoint of the 2017 World TB Day was a community outreach at the Kuchigorocommunity in Abuja, where a GeneXpert machine was provided to the Kuchigoro Model Primary Health Centre for speedy diagnosis of TB.”
He noted that the series of activities of the World TB Day commemoration was supported by partners including the USAID Challenge TB project adding the present administration also flagged off the shorter regimen and new drugs for the treatment of drug-resistant TB patients at the Jericho Chest Hospital Ibadan, Oyo state in july this year.
According to him, the feat was made possible by the efforts of the Federal Government and partners including the USAID Challenge TB project, Global Fund and Damien Foundation Belgium and IHVN.
“Ogun state is not devoid of such gains as it received 4 additional GeneXpert machines with 10 solar panels installed over last nine months” he said.
“Today is an epoch-making event; as the Federal Ministry of Health collaborates with the USAID Challenge TB Project, to carry out a massive campaign to actively diagnose and treat cases of TB in our communities.
“The innovative campaign involves use of trucks equipped with digital x-ray and GeneXpert machines for the screening and diagnosis of TB. These mobile TB diagnostic units will improve access to TB services by bringing TB screening and diagnosis to the door steps of clients as a “one-stop shop”.
“Ultimately, this will ensure early diagnosis and treatment of TB, and contribute to halting the transmission of TB in the community. It will also improve the health seeking behaviour of the people through the health messages provided in the course of the campaigns,” he said.
The minister emphasized that campaign is about bringing wellness to the populace using a mobile truck, saying “We bring: Wellness on Wheels (WoW)!”
“This campaign, which is being flagged off in Abeokuta today, will also be carried out in other parts of the country with the support of the USAID Challenge TB project which has provided two trucks for this purpose. The project will work in close collaboration with state ministries of health, community-based organizations and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP).
“The Federal government is committed to fostering partnerships that will support innovative interventions for the control of TB and other diseases,“ he said.
Adewole added that everyone has a role to play to ensure the success of the campaign, urging individuals, families, religious and community leaders, the media, health care workers, community based organizations to stand up and ensure its success .
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun said that the state government will partner the Federal Government in its desire to bring health care services to the door step of the people.
Amosun said the state will pay for the truck and also campaign vigorously among his governor’s colleagues for the programme to succeed.
Over 600,000 Nigerians suffer from Tuberculosis out of which only 100,000 is detected and treated yearly.