By Sani Adamu Hassan
A non-governmental organisation, ALAYAHBI Women and Children Health Home Care and Welfare Bauchi, has paid an advocacy visit to the State Tuberculosis (TB) Director at the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Leprosy (BACATMA), under the Global Fund-supported Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) integrated project.
The visit, led by NEPWHAN, brought together key stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and improve tuberculosis service delivery across health facilities in the state.
Executive Director of ALAYAHBI, Hajiya Binta Abdulkareem, said the organisation is reviewing its project activities through supportive supervision to identify gaps and enhance healthcare service delivery.
She explained that the process involves engaging health workers at facility level to assess challenges and develop practical solutions to improve operations.
During the engagement, the program officer Gingerly Daniel highlighted findings from the CLM activities, including gaps such as the stock-out of GeneXpert cartridges in some facilities.
The Bauchi State TB Network Coordinator, Aminu Wagani, said the visit was aimed at strengthening advocacy and collaboration, noting that the network supports mobilisation and awareness efforts in communities.
In his remarks, the Director of Tuberculosis Control at BACATMA, Sulaiman Danladi, commended the initiative, describing it as vital to strengthening the health system.
He acknowledged that the shortage of GeneXpert cartridges is a nationwide challenge but assured that steps are being taken to address the issue.
Danladi also called for intensified efforts in TB case detection, particularly among children and within communities, and disclosed plans for outreach activities, including a childhood TB screening week.
He further warned about the risk of tuberculosis transmission from livestock to humans, urging the public to ensure proper processing of animal products.
The director expressed confidence that the identified gaps would be addressed before the next round of supportive supervision and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with stakeholders to improve TB control in Bauchi State.