World TB Day-Stakeholders Forum – Port Harcourt, Nigeria -18th April

PROFOH is a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Stop TB partnership and had focused a new lens on TB interventions in the Niger-Delta of Nigeria since 2006. In 2011, we became a sub, sub-recipient of funds quarterly from HAF organization who in turn is a recipient from Global Fund for HIV/AIDs, TB and Malaria. Mr. Muzan Messiah PROFOH Rivers State Coordinator was unanimously elected as the State Focal Person with the consent of all CSOs working on TB and Local ministry of Health. Under his leadership and other PROFOH partners like Dawn of Life Foundation (DOLF)we have change the equation on TB prevention and cure in that part of Nigeria. With modesty, we have organized the best World TB day program in Nigeria.

This year we organized Rivers State TB Stakeholders Forum in partnership with our USAID, DOLF and TB Network including valuable support from the private sector and Media houses in the State. Muzan has recruited 150 TB Community Volunteers (CVs) these foot soldiers working day and night in awareness creation in the area, they have done remarkable work. Dr. Stuart Quartemont member of PROFOH Advisory Board had provided technical assistance to the Network and training of CSOs on MDR TB control in 2011.The Stakeholders Forum was very impressive as attendance  cut across Government officials, relevant ministries, private sector, Traditional rulers, Individual TB activists about 100 persons participated and most of them signed Commitment Card to be their personal cause, by helping STOP TB in their community and Nigeria. As an organization, we promise to keep fighting till TB is eradicated. In 1999, Nigeria was ranked fourth in the world for TB incidence, new cases 300,000 and mortality 30,000.To the best of my knowledge Nigeria remain the same.