By Elvira Jordan
Tuberculosis patients in parts of Rivers State could wait up to a month for test results as shortages of essential diagnostic supplies and inadequate funding for community outreach activities disrupt access to timely testing and treatment.
The challenge was highlighted during an advocacy visit by the State Advocacy Team to the Rivers State TB and Leprosy Control Programme, following supportive supervision visits to implementing Community-Based Organisations across three health facilities in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area.
During the October 14 engagement, the State Programme Officer, Hope Pius identified recurring shortages of GeneXpert cartridges and TB-LAM reagents, alongside the rising cost of community outreach, as major obstacles to effective tuberculosis service delivery.
The officer explained that when diagnostic supplies are unavailable, specimens often have to be transported to alternative testing centres, creating additional logistical difficulties and delaying the communication of results to patients.
The report noted that some clients wait between three weeks and one month for their results, potentially delaying diagnosis and their connection to appropriate treatment.
The advocacy team also raised concerns over the financial burden on community-based organisations conducting integrated outreach activities covering tuberculosis, HIV and malaria.
According to the report, these activities require funding for specimen transportation, logistical support for diagnostic teams and other operational expenses. However, the I-CLM project currently lacks dedicated funding for such outreach-related costs, particularly in the third and fourth quarters.
Responding to the concerns, the Quality Assurance Officer of the state TB programme, Nurse Chisa Eche, acknowledged the logistical challenges and pledged to facilitate discussions with active case-finding organisations, including KNCV and ARHF, to explore possible support for transporting specimens to designated TB-LAM testing centres.
Eche also promised to communicate the outcome of the discussions to the advocacy team.
To address the diagnostic challenges, the report recommended improved monitoring and replenishment of essential TB commodities, stronger coordination between health facilities and testing centres, and better communication to ensure specimens are tracked and results delivered promptly.
It also called for sustainable funding arrangements to support community outreach activities and improved specimen referral systems, particularly for remote communities.
The advocacy team stressed that stronger collaboration among the state TB programme, health facilities, community-based organisations and project partners would be critical to reducing diagnostic delays and ensuring patients receive timely and quality TB services.
The findings highlight the need for urgent follow-up with relevant programme authorities and stakeholders to address funding gaps and prevent recurring shortages from undermining tuberculosis control efforts in ONELGA.
