By Zayamu Hassan
A group, Lawyers Alert, has advised the Federal Government to tackle Tuberculosis (TB) from gender and human rights perspective.
President of Lawyers Alert, Barrister Rommy Mom, gave the advice at a media briefing to commemorate the 2022 World TB Day, in Abuja.
He said unless the country addresses the issues of human rights in the treatment of TB in this country, Nigeria may not get it entirely right.
“That is why Lawyers Alert is reiterating that we must approach TB in this country from a gender and human rights perspective in a very aggressive way if we want to end TB.”
While supporting the call for the establishment of an agency that will solely be in charge of TB in Nigeria, Bar Mom, however, appealed to the National Assembly to pass laws that will address the rights of People Affected by Tuberculosis (PATB) and therefore, prevent stigma and discrimination being mated against them.
He lamented that PATB experience the infringement of their human rights on a daily basis.
“In far too many cases, they are given less than human treatments both in private and public places.
“They lack access to effective testing and treatment, face discrimination in employment and health care settings, are even unnecessarily detained and isolated against their will, have restricted access to health information and are given little or no access to TB treatment in hospital,” he said.
Speaking on the gender perspective, Barrister Mom explained that: “Human right approach to TB is also complemented by the gender-based approach which is grounded in the principles of gender equity.
“Globally, men and boys account for about 64 per cent of TB cases. What this translated to is that approximately 2 men become infected with TB for every 1 woman or girl. Also, men account for about 63 per cent of TB deaths among HIV negative people.”
Lawyers Alert, therefore, called for the incorporation of the rights of PATB as enshrine in the Declaration of the Rights of PATB launched in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2019 into our local laws.
It further called for the “sensitization of both the judiciary and the legal communities about the rights of PATB and the implementation of the human rights-based approaches into TB laws and policies.
“The immediate and rigorous sensitization of PATB and its various communities and networks to be aware of their rights and demand for same at all times.
“The sensitization of health care workers in the public and private sector on the need to integrate a human rights-based approach on TB to their day-to-day interaction with PATB.”
