The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised the alarm over the “increasing rate of tuberculosis infection in Borno.”
Walter Mulombo, the organisation’s Head of Mission/Country Representative, expressed the concern during the North-East Nigeria 13th WHO End-Term Joint Operations review in Yola which is for Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
Mulombo however expressed its readiness to work with the Borno Government to address the problem.
“The rate of tuberculosis infection in Borno is worrisome. It means that Borno could be a ticking bomb for the tuberculosis explosion in Nigeria.
“We don’t want to allow that because of humanitarian crisis; we need to work together because that thing itself is strictly an emergency.’’ Mulombo said.
He consequently asked stakeholders to take action in order to fulfill the UN Sustainable Development Goal of leaving no one behind and to expedite assistance,
Earlier, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno said that the state lost about 50 per cent of its health institutions and many staff were abducted or killed due to the insurgency.
Zulum who was represented by the Borno Commissioner for Health, Baba Malam-Gana, said “one of the consequences of this is the issue of tuberculosis, which needs a lot of staff to work on it, including machines.
According to him, the state currently uses the help of the military to reach hard-to-reach areas to deliver services such as immunization.
He urged the WHO to assist in that regard, in addition to addressing gender-based violence.
