*Seek better partnership with media, others to reduce spread
Experts across the nation’s health sector have warned that Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder as she is now the number one country in Africa and sixth globally with the highest number of tuberculosis cases.
The experts, while calling for urgent action to address the menace, expressed worry that 74- percent of TB cases are not detected or reported.
The experts spoke during a two-day media engagement and sensitisation meeting, organised by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) in Abuja on Thursday.
In his opening remarks, the NTBLCP National Coordinator, Dr Chukwuemeka Anyaike, lamented that TB has remained a major global problem that requires urgent attention.
Anyaike, who admitted that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted TB responses, stalling and reversing progress made over the years, called for the collaborative efforts of all Nigerians to address the situation.
He said, “The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted TB responses, stalling and reversing progress made over the years. While funding and attention was shifted to COVID-19 , there was a drop in TB testing, notifications and closure of some private practices.
Anyaike, who further disclosed that TB was deadly, said it remains an important cause of illness and death in Nigerian children.
He said, “The emergence of HIV has further increased the burden of the disease. Childhood TB is under-diagnosed and under-reported in Nigeria. The diagnosis of TB can be made in most children based on a careful clinical evaluation. History of contact with a person with pulmonary TB is a very important component in the diagnosis of TB in children.
“Health seeking behaviour is too poor. TB can be defeated, prevented and its curable. The worrisome cases of TB is the reason for this training. Nigeria does not need to be number one with highest number of cases in Africa and no 6 globally. We can reduce this trend if all hands are on deck”.
He added that active TB case-finding was vital to reducing the burden of the disease in the country, because Nigeria had more than 440,000 TB cases and 300,000 were estimated to be missed annually.
On her part, Dr Bolatito Aiyenigba, Deputy Director, Malaria and Tuberculosis, Breakthrough ACTION, Nigeria, (BA-N), said it was important to find the number of missing TB cases.
Aiyenigba, who noted that the role of the media was critical in achieving the goal, said the training was apt as the current case finding is only around 26 percent, a development she said was worrisome.
She said, “The current case finding is only around 26 percent, meaning 74 percent of cases aren’t detected or reported and these people may be transmitting TB to others in the communities”.
She reaffirmed the continued support of the BA-N with the Federal Government to accomplish the goal of the NTBLCP to ensure access to comprehensive and high-quality patient-centered and community-owned TB services for all Nigerians.
Also, the Head, Advocacy and Communication and Social Mobilization, NTLCP , Mrs Itoghowo Uko, said that the media engagement and sensitization meeting was something to be thrilled about.
She said, “Knowledge they say is power, when you give an individual the right information, he or she would be able to make decisions on his or her life from an informed position. We have been able to sensitize Nigerians on the simple signs of Tuberculosis and the reason they need to go and do a test. But, with what we have done today, and the responses we have gotten, we believe that the media will do the right thing through their reportage to tell Nigerians the danger of TB.”
