By Ajuma Edwina Ogiri Abuja Th e Director of KNCV tuberculosis foundation, which partners the federal ministry of health in TB control, treatment and prevention, has revealed that only 30 percent of Nigerians are aware of TB.
Th e Director, Dr Gidado Mustapha, also cited a data indicating that less 52% of health workers in Nigeria have no knowledge of TB, noting that there was a need for increased awareness. Dr. Mustapha, who disclosed this while addressing a briefi ng ahead of the 2017 World TB Day, recently in Abuja, “at this era, we should not be talking about an individual dying of TB, because it is a curable disease and the treatment is free.”
He further said the private health sector are not fully engaged to provide tuberculosis services, adding that out of the 40,000 health facilities in Nigeria, there are only 6, 000 service delivery for TB. Also speaking, theNational Coordinator, Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), Dr. Adebola Lawanson, disclosed that the 2016 Global TB Report showed that Nigeria had the highest TB burden in Africa.
Lawanson added that the “report also revealed that Nigeria was among the 6 countries that accounted for 60 per cent of the global burden of TB. “Other countries are India, Indonesia, China, Pakistan and South Africa. Equally, Nigeria and India accounted for 48 per cent of global TB deaths among HIV-negative people, and for 43 per cent of the combined total TB deaths in HIV-negative and HIVpositive people.” Delivering a paper titled: “TB in Nigeria and Need for Accelerated TB Case Finding and Treatment,” Dr. Lawanson disclosed that more than 80 per cent TB cases in the country are undetected, adding that most of the undetected cases come from the communities.
She explained that the undiagnosed cases in various communities served as reservoir for continued transmission of the disease in the country. According to Lawanson, the Federal Government has declared 2017 as year of accelerated TB cases fi nding to end its transmission very soon. She said the declaration was aimed at mobilising political commitment and resources from government and partners, for the implementation of strategic TB case interventions, early TB case fi ndings and prompt treatment. Lawanson said the 2017 World TB Day, coming up on March 24, was to refl ect the declaration by government to accelerate the TB cases fi nding in Nigeria. She noted that the theme of the 2017 World TB Day was: “Unite to end TB in Nigeria,” with the slogan: “Accelerating TB case fi nding and treatment.”
Th e national coordinator further said TB was curable, and advised that any cough for two or more weeks could be TB, adding that its diagnosis and treatment were available free of charge nationwide. Lawanson said: “Anybody with the above symptoms should visit the nearest healthcare provider to take a TB test or call the toll free number 08002255282 for prompt action.”
