Lagos re-energises TB control intervention

• To address human resource and data gathering challenges

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Titilayo Goncalves with officials during an inspection of Tuberculosis DOT centre at Iwaya primary health centre in Lagos

Lagos State Government has rejigged its tuberculosis (TB) control interventions to reduce the prevalence of the disease in the State.

Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Titilayo Goncalves who stated this recently during a facility tour to some TB direct observed treatment (DOT) centres in Lagos noted that the rejigged interventions is aimed at addressing the issues of human resources, sputum collection and transportation, data gathering, patient follow-up and community sensitization and awareness aimed at prevention.

While expressing optimism that the planned interventions would help reduce the prevalence of tuberculosis and prevent spread of the disease, she added that the Ministry of Health with the support of global fund and other TB control implementing partners have begun implementation of the 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”, Goncalves said.

She explained that the facility tour of TB DOT centres embarked on was to enable the Ministry get first hand information on challenges confronting each centre on the TB programme implementation with aim of addressing them.

“Here at Iwaya primary health centre,  a number of challenges has been identified including logistics with sputum transportation and workers attitude and these are being looked into already”, the Permanent Secretary said.

She stated that the facility tours had also provided an avenue to pay advocacy visits to community leaders and traditional rulers and chiefs to seek support for implementation of the interventions.

The Permanent Secretary  restated the commitment of  Health Ministry and other TB control implementing partners to the eradication of the disease and urged all stakeholders to redouble efforts in the drive to control and eradicate the disease.

Goncalves also urged members of the public to encourage anyone with prolonged cough accompanied with weight loss and profuse sweating to visit any primary health centre closed to their residence to get appropriate help and care.

“We all need to take responsibility for our health,  tuberculosis is preventable and curable if detected and treated early”, she added.