By: Amaka Madu
Stakeholders drawn from different sectors including the Media , Religious Organizations, Community Leaders , CBO’s and patners have been targeted to help in strengthening the awareness for TB/HIV in the state. Mr Precious Ilueme,who is the state technical officer of Global Fund C-PPM TB Project, Anambra stated this during the second quarter 2024 non residential Anambra State Department of public Health (DPH) meeting in Awka. KNCV is a national Non Governmental Organization dedicated to the fight against Tuberculosis and other diseases of public health concern .Mr Ilueme highlighted the need for every key player in the public health sector to push for adequate treatment for TB /HIV patients, stressing that urgent alignment is needed to know the actual Data Base from partners for easy triangulation, as well as enumerating different field works done so far in the state to ascertain the major challenges CBO’s face in community outreaches which some key findings were made.
In his opening remarks, the chairman of the meeting, The Director Public Health in Anambra State, Dr Afam Anaeme welcome all participants to the meeting and called for more community outreaches from CBO’s especially on the issue concerning Traditional Birth Attendants in some selected communities and encouraged them to spread their tentacles to HIV cases not dwelling much on TB cases with reference to verification of data ,Co-ordination and activities within the assigned Communities.Similarly,the team leader of Network of people living with HIV/AiDS in Nigeria (NEPHWAN)from Abuja, Mr Efosa Edegbe in his own remarks said they came for supportive supervision with the state actors to enable them carry out assessment of implementation of the global fund.He also showed his appreciation on the outcome of some enumerated actions taken so far from partners.He further emphasized that they are still ready to storm and form for clarification tools available,stressing that the global fund GC7 is actually a unique grant compelled to work together at national and state levels with different areas of consultations and TB patients getting adequate support as he encouraged partners to give KNCV and stakeholders full support to drive home the required results.
Patners Which includes STBLCP,SASCP,SACA, NEPHWAN and AHNI all gave an in-depth analysis of their activities so far especially in advocacy, meetings and trainings which according to them will give more opportunities while looking forward to working
closely with the communities to see that the program survives for TB /AIDs Patients.