Under the Global Fund Grant Cycle 7 (GC7) Community-PPM project, Olive Rights to Health Initiative brings TB and HIV services to communities across six Local Government Areas of Cross River State: Abi, Boki, Etung, Ikom, Obubra and Yakurr.
The work is aligned with Nigeria’s National Strategic Plan (2021–2026): better TB case notification, treatment success above 90%, every person diagnosed with drug-resistant TB enrolled on treatment, and progress towards the 95-95-95 HIV targets. At its core are early detection, linkage to treatment, community ownership and accountable data.
Creating demand for services
Within the reporting year, ORHI ran 168 sensitisation and demand-creation activities across the six LGAs, including health education sessions and targeted outreach in high-burden and hard-to-reach communities.
We also engaged traditional rulers, religious and opinion leaders, government officials, private sector actors and philanthropists. Their support increased acceptance of TB screening and HIV testing, reduced stigma and improved uptake.
Bringing services closer to people
Many people with TB and HIV remain undiagnosed because services are hard to reach. ORHI’s Community TB Workers screen people house to house, and in camps for internally displaced people, informal settlements, nomadic communities and community gatherings.
During the reporting period:
- 220,195 people were screened for TB
- 4,081 people with TB were identified, notified and enrolled on treatment
- 6,045 pregnant women were reached and screened for HIV, and the 14 women who tested positive were enrolled on treatment
Close contacts of every confirmed TB case were traced, screened and referred for laboratory evaluation, to stop further transmission.
Data quality and coordination
ORHI holds monthly review and data validation meetings in each LGA with KNCV, state TB and leprosy supervisors, Community TB Workers, linkage coordinators, mentor mothers, HIV testing volunteers and state M&E teams. This keeps reporting accurate and performance visible in real time.
Working through challenges
- Weak mobile networks delayed data syncing in the CommTB app. We addressed this through continuous training, troubleshooting and coordination with the app’s technical team.
- Delays in laboratory results risked missed cases. Teams used alternative diagnostics such as Truenat and clinical diagnosis where appropriate.
- Insecurity in parts of Boki, Ikom and Yakurr limited access. Teams redirected work to safer communities within the same LGAs so services continued.
- Stock-outs of recording tools were bridged by local printing, so no data was lost.
Looking ahead
The project shows that community-based work is essential to closing gaps in TB and HIV detection and treatment. With communities, government and partners, ORHI will keep working so that no one is left without life-saving care.
What the programme delivers
- House-to-house TB screening by Community TB Workers
- Outreach in IDP camps, informal settlements and nomadic communities
- Contact tracing for every confirmed TB case
- Monthly data validation with KNCV and state TB programme officers
