Belgium collaborats with Kwara to ensure TB free state Nigeria

In a bid to eradicate Tuberculosis and Leprosy from rural communities in Kwara, the State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed has advocated for concerted efforts to effectively tackle the communicable diseases ravaging rural communities in the country.

The Governor who made the call while receiving delegates from Damien Foundation Belgium, said steps must be taken to eradicate diseases like Tuberculosis and leprosy in the environment adding that, the diseases are directly linked to reduced productivity.

According to the Governor, the responsibility of eradicating these communicable diseases is beyond what government alone can do, calling on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), corporate bodies and individuals to partner with government to eradicate the diseases.

Ahmed, said the state has committed resources to support preventive cases and has made support available at the primary level of healthcare delivery system to ensure quality and adequate healthcare available across the state.

“Our government has done so much on support for primary and secondary health and we are still planning to support tertiary health care for an improved healthcare delivery,” he said.

Earlier, Osman Eltayeb the country representative of Damien Foundation Belgium, said the NGO has been in the country since 1993 with the aim of eradicating Tuberculosis and Leprosy.

He informed that the NGO is collaborating with Federal Ministry of Health to combat Tuberculosis and Leprosy, adding that Kwara State has been pencilled down for capacity building on both diseases.

Similarly, Eltayeb, while at the state Ministry of Health said the foundation is ready to partner and committed to support and complement the state effort in health care delivery to the people.

Presenting a motorcycle donated by the foundation to Olaitan Adetifa, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Eltayeb noted that the gesture was to assist in facilitating their movement towards attaining efficiency.

In his response, Adetifa, who expressed appreciation for the donation promised that the motorcycle will be utilised for the purpose it was meant for  “on our part, we will not relent in our efforts and I appeal to all to join hands with us because together we can work to fight TB and other diseases and as well achieve success”. He said

SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin