Abuja – The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has called on stakeholders to collaborate to end the scourge of Tuberculosis (TB) in the country.
Dr Patrick Dakum, Chief Executive Officer of IHVN, made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday to commemorate the 2016 World TB Day.
He said stakeholders must work together to remove Nigeria from the list of countries with the highest TB incidence in Africa.
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The IHVN boss said that stakeholders had a responsibility to break the barriers that militate against the treatment of TB in the country.
He added that information gaps, poor funding and dichotomies between federal, state and local governments should not be allowed to stop efforts to treat the estimated 570,000 TB cases in Nigeria.
Dakum stated that the institute in collaboration with the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTPLCP) and other partners had provided over 1,300 patients with resistant drugs.
He noted that 16 Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) treatment centres in the country had been provided with the treatment and drugs.
“IHVN also provides support for integrating HIV prevention, treatment and care including support for TB care and treatment across several states in the country.
“This year’s theme for the World TB Day is Unite to End TB. Find TB, Treat TB and Working together to Eliminate TB,’’ the statement quoted Dakum as saying. (NAN)