By Ndidichukwu Odoh
International and national stakeholders working around Tuberculosis control, will converge at Nigeria’s International Conference Center on the 17th and 18th of July to showcase laudable innovations, new technologies and discoveries in the World of Tuberculosis.
The National TB Conference themed ‘’Building Stronger Partnerships to End TB in Nigeria’’ is expected to stimulate the generation of new collaborations for home grown TB research and innovations.
The scientific conference will leverage on the success of its 2016 gathering-the last Nigeria has conveyed- to bring together key actors in TB control in Nigeria and across the globe for deliberation on topical issues, foster and harness other stakeholders and institutional collaboration.
“Tuberculosis is an airborne disease that affects all categories of people globally, regardless of economic status. As we all know, we are all connected by the air we breathe and this disease has no respect for age, sex, ethnicity, faith or race.” Said Lovett Lawsom, Chairman, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria.
Tuberculosis is presently a major health problem with 8-10 million new cases diagnosed yearly, which translated to 1/3 of the world population with about 95% cases in developing countries. 1.6 million TB patients die each year which is compounded by the fast spread of HIV/AIDs and poor socio-economic status.
“beyond the scientific presentations that will be made, we want to create awareness and promote best practices in TB programming in Nigeria, we want more Nigerians to be aware of TB and are able to make use of available services for testing and treatment” said Prof. Lawal Umar – Chair, Scientific Committee, National TB Conference 2019.
According to Prof. Lawal Umar – Chair, Scientific Committee, National TB Conference 2019 “the conference will Provide platform to foster the designing of evidence based policies for improved TB control in Nigeria.”
“National Tuberculosis conference is an opportunity to bring together think tanks in the TB world globally in our door step here in Nigeria to rub minds together and exhibit laudable innovations and new technologies and discoveries in the World of Tuberculosis. It is a way to share ideas from researches that have been conducted through symposiums and presentations of research works that have been piloted and implemented and have been proven to be very effective.” Said Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Ozi, Deputy Director, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme
Nigerian government according to Ozi, is optimistic the two days conference will make a lot of difference in the TB control Programme in Nigeria as we harness all the experience of participants in Nigeria, Africa and globally.
