30th May, 2019
The Lagos State Government says it has upgraded its Tuberculosis (TB) control interventions in order to reduce prevalence of the disease in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Titilayo Goncelves, made this known on Thursday in Lagos during a facility tour to some TB Direct Observed Treatment (DOT) Centres in the state.
Goncalves said the upgrade was aimed at addressing issues of human resources, sputum collection and transportation.
According to her, it was upgraded for data gathering, patient follow-up and community sensitisation as well awareness aimed at prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.
She said that the ministry, with support of the Global Fund and other TB control implementing partners, had begun implementation of interventions.
“We have recruited and trained personnel who will help with data gathering and patient follow-up and these include, and not limited to cough officers, contact tracers and linkage officers,“ she said.
Goncalves said the facility tour of the TB DOT Centres was to enable the ministry to get first hand information on challenges confronting each centre on the TB programme implementation with the aim of addressing them.
“The facility tour had also provided an avenue to pay advocacy visits to community leaders and traditional rulers to seek support for implementation of the interventions.
“Here at Iwaya Primary Health Centre, a number of challenges has been identified, including logistics with sputum transportation and workers’ attitude.
“These are being looked into already,“ she said.
Goncalves urged stakeholders to put more efforts in the drive to control and eradicate the disease.
She advised members of the public to seek appropriate care if they had symptoms of prolonged cough accompanied with weight loss and profuse sweating.