A non-profit organisation in Nigeria, Lawyers Alert, has unveiled a report on violations of rights of Tuberculosis patients and survivors in the country.

During the validation of the report in Abuja, stakeholders said the report details the plight of victims of TB and proffered solutions to prevent stigmatisation towards ending TB in Nigeria.

Personnel of National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli-Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP) and other stakeholders including Person affected by TB and survivors, members of Civil Society Organisations and Media applauded the Lawyers Alert for the comprehensive work on the report.

The Executive Director, Debriche Health Development Centre, Mrs Debrah Ike and Programme Manager, NTBLCP, Lagos, Dr Sokoya Olusola Daniel in their separate remarks said the report would contribute significantly to curb violation of rights of persons affected by TB.

The President of Lawyers Alert, Barrister Rommy Mom, said the initiative with the supported by the Stop TB Partnership was aimed at safeguarding rights of persons affected by Tuberculosis in Nigeria.

Speaking in gender and human rights profile in TB response in Nigeria, Mom said: “The human rights-based TB approach, the basis of Lawyers Alert TB interventions, recognises and upholds the fundamental rights of all people affected by TB, including the right to health, non-discrimination, and participation in decision-making.

“The approach is founded on the dignity and autonomy of people affected by TB and the critical role they must play in all aspects of the disease response. The violations report that has been captured used community-led monitoring, where partner groups and primary stakeholders were at the forefront of documenting the violations.”

The Lawyer Alert President said TB people and persons affected by TB shared their experiences and that these were the primary sources of data collation for the report. He noted that global interventions in TB “have evolved from exclusive medical interventions to broader themes, focusing on communities, human rights, and gender considerations.”

According to him, “Lawyers Alert Community, Rights, and Gender approach is multifaceted as is the practice. It seeks to understand the underlying factors, influences, and impact of rights and gender considerations in the TB response in Nigeria. In carrying out this work, we prioritized the experiences and participation of communities affected by TB, including key and vulnerable populations.

“The Nigeria TB situation, as highlighted in the data by Stop TB above, highlights the state and gaps in CRG in Nigeria. These factors significantly influence TB prevention, treatment, and care. The Lawyers Alert report teases the existing human rights violations under the 8 CRG themes.”

It is worth noting that Stop TB Partnership conducted assessments of the TB situation in Nigeria in 2017/2018 and noted gaps such as accessibility barriers, distance and cost of transportation to clinics which makes accessing TB services difficult. Others are unavailability of counselling services, quality issues, acceptability issues, stigmatizing and discriminatory treatment by healthcare workers (HCWs) and, Gender-specific challenges, access to justice for people with TB.

“This data violation mainly builds on the above using the life experiences of PATBS and the wider community. It is necessary to note that not much has changed from the Stop TB report in 2021 within this scope”, Mom said.

The Lawyers Alert 2023 report enriches the findings by providing empirical data on rights violations in other themes, incorporating the country’s six geo-political zones.

Meanwhile, while violations can be linked to factors including the existence of laws and policies and access to t justice, the analysis of laws is not the report’s focus but the live experiences of PATBs, using the broader concept of human rights.

Speaking further, Mom said: “This holistic approach, encompassing community engagement, human rights frameworks, and gender-sensitive strategies, is essential for effectively combating tuberculosis (TB). By incorporating the CRG approach into TB interventions, policymakers and healthcare practitioners can address the underlying social, economic, and cultural determinants that fuel the TB epidemic. This strategy recognizes that TB is not solely a medical issue but also a social justice issue, requiring interventions that respect the dignity, autonomy, and rights of individuals and communities.”

“Furthermore, by incorporating the experiences and voices of those most affected by TB, including marginalised populations such as prisoners, migrants, and people living with HIV/AIDS, interventions can be tailored to address their specific needs and challenges. By adopting a CRG approach, the global response to TB can become more inclusive, equitable, and effective in achieving sustainable TB prevention, treatment, and care outcomes”, he said.

•Barrister Rommy Mom, President, Lawyers Alert addressing participants during the unveiling of the report

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