As part of efforts geared towards sustainable financing for TB in supported states, DGI Consult with funding from USAID TB LON3 project has commenced series of activities aimed at strengthening institutional capacity for TB budget advocacy and integrating TB into State Health Insurance Schemes benefit package.

In January 2021, DGI Consult held entry-level engagement workshops to set the stage for implementation of the Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) stream of the TB LON3 project in Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos States. The stakeholder engagement workshop was an opportunity to set up the Health Financing Technical Working Group (TWG) in Ogun State and revitalize the TWGs in Oyo and Lagos States. The multi-sectoral TWG is central to improving government allocation and expenditure on health in general and TB in particular as the different MDAs that have roles to play in Public Financial Management are members of the TWG. The TWG has since swung into action towards improving the funding landscape for health in general and TB in particular. As part of the early dividend of forming a TWG, the TWG has secured the commitment of Ogun State Government to release NGN 12 million towards GenXpert site optimization in the state while its Oyo State counterpart is working assiduously to create a budget line for TB.

The engagement workshops also provided a good opportunity for deepening the knowledge of stakeholders on the concept of Universal Health Coverage, sustainable financing for TB, and processes of integrating TB into the health insurance benefit package.

With the formation and reactivation of health financing TWGs and a deeper understanding of DRM importance and processes, the stage is now set for transforming the health and TB financing landscape in the supported states.