TB/HIV: COLLABORATION YIELDS INCREASED IDENTIFICATION, TREATMENT OF CLIENTS

The Situation before the intervention:

There was weak synergy between HIV and TB programs in Kaduna State resulting in sub-optimal HIV screening amongst tuberculosis patients. There were also poor records of HIV co-infected patients on TB treatment in facilities not supported by Center for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP) and no functional technical working group on TB/HIV.

In 2020, CIHP partnered with the Kaduna State TB Leprosy Control Program to revitalize and strengthen the State Technical Working Group to provide overall coordination for the TB/HIV program in the state and foster synergy.

Afterwards, CIHP built the capacity of the Local Government Authority Tuberculosis Leprosy (TBL) Supervisors and DOTS Officers on TB/HIV data management. We instituted monthly data collation and validation meetings thereby strengthening review and validation of TB/HIV data from all facilities providing TB-DOTS services in the state.

With the establishment of a quarterly data quality and review meeting, stakeholders regularly discussed to address emerging program issues. Publishing a directory of tuberculosis and HIV service providers also strengthened linkage between the 55 HIV treatment and 866 TB-treatment health facilities. CIHP further conducted refresher training to strengthen the capacity of the TB/DOTS Officers on the management of both TB and HIV patients across all health facilities.

In 2019 prior to the intervention, the state recorded an achievement of identifying and treating 78% of expected cases of TB and HIV co-infected persons.

Following commencement of the intervention, there has been a steady improvement in the identification of TB and HIV co-infected individuals initiated on dual treatment to 630 (94%) in 2020, 1,120 (131%) in 2021 and 1,121 (237%) in 2022.

Effective collaboration between the TB and HIV treatment programs in the state is essential for high quality management of TB/HIV co-infected patients as well as data management. Kaduna state is now adjudged to be the best performing state in TB case notification among PLHIV across the 19 US-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supported states in Nigeria.

The Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP) is a multi-funded indigenous not-for-profit, non-governmental organization established in 2010 to promote better health outcomes for all Nigerians through sustainable partnerships and locally adapted, rigorously tested approaches by applying our collective learnings and experiences. .

CIHP - Centre for Integrated Health Programs: is a leading indigenous not-for-profit non-governmental organization, promoting better health outcomes for all Nigerians through the creation of sustainable systems and partnerships by applying our collective learnings and experiences.

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