The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has called on leaders at various levels of government to prioritize the prevention and treatment of Tuberculosis (TB), which it identifies as the leading cause of death among individuals living with HIV.
In a statement released on Sunday to commemorate the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day under the theme ‘Yes! We Can End TB,’ Steve Aborisade, the Advocacy and Marketing Manager for AHF Nigeria, emphasized the importance of raising awareness about TB, a highly infectious disease that claims numerous lives annually, particularly among people living with HIV, despite being entirely preventable and treatable ( World Tuberculosis Day).
Aborisade highlighted AHF Nigeria’s collaboration with stakeholders and TB programs in several states, including Abuja-FCT, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Kogi, and Nasarawa, to reinforce efforts to combat TB.
He outlined AHF Nigeria’s initiatives, such as radio awareness campaigns and educational programs in partnership with TB focal persons’ offices, to inform the public about TB prevention measures and the availability of free treatment across Nigeria. These efforts aim to raise awareness about TB, promote early detection, and ensure access to treatment facilities, including TB Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) centers.
Quoting Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria’s Country Program Director, Aborisade emphasized the importance of increasing awareness about TB and encouraging people to undergo testing for both TB and HIV. He stressed that TB is treatable, with accessible and free treatment options available nationwide.
Aborisade also cited data from the World Health Organization (WHO), indicating that TB claimed 1.3 million lives in 2022, including 167,000 individuals living with HIV, highlighting the urgency of addressing the multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) crisis.
World Tuberculosis Day
He underscored AHF’s global role as a nonprofit organization providing medical care and advocacy to over 1.9 million individuals across 46 countries worldwide, making it the largest nonprofit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care globally.
Source: vanguard.ng
