Some health stakeholders have said that Nigeria’s Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), which serve as the backbone of the country’s healthcare system, are in dire need of revitalisation.

The stakeholder said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, (more…)

Mrs Adenike Adeleke, the Osun State Commissioner for Federal Matters, has stated that the state was ready to advance its Primary Health Care (PHC) service delivery for public well-being.

Adeleke made this statement in Abuja on Sunday at the end-of-year party organised by the Association of Osun State Indigenes in Federal Public Service, Abuja.

She was represented by Mr Olukunle Alao, Director of the Osun State Liaison Office in Abuja.

Adeleke emphasised that the government was committed to providing more support to ensure healthcare services were more accessible to where people live and work.

She also highlighted that such services were part of the democratic benefits promised by the current administration in the state.

“Recently, our state received an award for being the best performing state in Primary Health Care in the South West. This demonstrates that Gov. Ademola Adeleke prioritises the health of the people,” she said.

She encouraged the association members to prioritise health to live longer, stressing, “Health is wealth.”

Adeleke also shared positive feedback from the public, noting that the people have rated the administration highly in health, infrastructure, and education.

“We must express our appreciation to our people,” she added.

She further urged members to protect their culture, language, and traditions by passing them on to their children.

“It is important for our children to understand that they are from Osun State, particularly our villages and towns. We should always encourage them to visit home once in a while,” she said.

She also conveyed the governor’s greetings to the association members on the occasion.

Mr Suleiman Olapade, Chairman of the Association of Osun State Indigenes in Federal Public Service, Abuja, thanked the Osun State government for its support.

Olapade commended the executives and members for their efforts to uplift the association and urged them to serve as true ambassadors of the state.

He also encouraged members to intensify efforts to promote good governance in Osun.

According to Olapade, the objectives of the association include promoting the legitimate interests of members, empowering them through cooperative societies, and fostering mutual benefits.

In his address, Chief Omolade Adebayo of Tundunwada, Lugbe, Abuja, urged members to value unity, respect, love, and mutual understanding among themselves.

He emphasised that these qualities were crucial for the sustainability and longevity of any successful association.

The Federal Government, with support from the Global Fund, has deployed 333 Truenat devices across the country in an effort to combat tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB (DR-TB).

Mrs Rita Akpakpan, Head of Laboratory Services at the Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program (NTBLCP), disclosed this to newsmen on the side-lines of the 2024 National Tuberculosis Conference on Thursday in Abuja.

Akpakpan said that the initiative was expected to transform TB diagnostics in peripheral and underserved areas, significantly boosting case detection rates and improving access to timely care.

“Nigeria accounts for 75 per cent of the global “missing TB cases” and 70 per cent of missing DR-TB cases due to limited access to rapid molecular testing in rural and remote areas.

“The Truenat system, developed by India-based Molbio Diagnostics, offers a portable, battery-operated, and solar-compatible solution designed for point-of-care testing,” she said.

She said that Truenat had proven to drastically reduce diagnostic turnaround times while increasing TB case detection rates.

“This deployment will enable NTBLCP to test an additional 8,000 people daily, or two million more annually, helping to curtail community transmission and ensuring early treatment, “she said.

According to her, the Truenat device stands out for its suitability in resource-limited settings.

“The device is compact, rugged, and dust-tolerant. It operates efficiently in temperatures of up to 40°C without air conditioning and has minimal biosafety issues.

“This makes it ideal for Nigeria’s remote and high-temperature regions,” she said.

She said that the system could detect TB and Rifampicin resistance by extracting, amplifying, and identifying specific genomic DNA, providing rapid and accurate results at the point of care.

Dr Emperor Ubochioma, the Programme Management Unit Team Lead, emphasised the transformative nature of the initiative:

“This deployment empowers our healthcare system with advanced diagnostic tools that reach hard-to-reach areas.

“We are confident that this will significantly improve TB detection rates and treatment outcomes, reducing the burden of TB in our country,” he said.

He said that to ensure seamless implementation, Molbio Diagnostics and NTBLCP were conducting nationwide training sessions for end users, alongside the installation of the devices.

Mr Sriram Natarajan, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Molbio Diagnostics, highlighted the significance of this effort:

“The deployment of 333 Truenat devices in Nigeria marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide innovative diagnostic solutions to underserved regions.

“We are committed to supporting Nigeria in its fight against TB and improving public health outcomes.