Not less than 15 people are infected with tuberculosis for every fresh case of Covid 19 in the country, says Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike, National Co-ordinator of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP).
Anyaike made this explanation while stating the adverse effect of the funding gap in the fight against the desease.
According to him, reiterated the financial gap of Tuberculosis (TB) funding currently stands at 69%. What this implies is that just 31 percent of money required for fighting TB is available.
He stressed that while the struggle for money persists, TB being an infectious disease continues to spread unhindered, with low diagnosis.
Anyaike made this known at a meeting with the USAID team and the World Bank team in Nigeria which was aimed at raising awareness and garner strategic support on financing TB in Nigeria.
World Bank Representative Mr. Tekabe Bela, however, says that government has to prioritizes TB if the World Bank will run with it.
He, therefore, called for the involvement of all ministries including the ministry of health and finance and further requested the Federal Ministry of Health to develop a 5 year plan to direct the sector and have TB reflected as a priority, saying such a national strategic plan was sure to direct the World Bank in the TB direction.