Tuberculosis: Stakeholders take awareness campaign to market

…Offers free TB screening services to FCT residents

In its bid to tackle the high burden of tuberculosis in Nigeria, relevant stakeholders on Saturday took the awareness campaign to Wuse market, a popular market in the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking during an event organized by the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), Dr. Bethrand Odume, the Country Director of KNCV Foundation Nigeria said that the awareness campaign was part of its activities to mark the 2020 World TB Day which has the theme, ‘’It’s time to end TB in Nigeria.

Lamenting that one case of tuberculosis if not detected and treated can transmit to about 15 to 20 people within one year, Dr Odume said that early detection can help in cutting down the transmission chain.

The country director of the foundation, described as unfortunate that out of the about 480,000 expected cases of TB, only 120,000 cases are detected.

He added that the foundation was doing things differently this year and decided to move its ‘WOW truck’ to the market to offer free screening services to the people.

He said; ‘’ the ‘’WOW screening truck’’ screened, ask questions and once you are presumptive; we do a chest x-ray and gene expert. Those that are found to have TB will be link up for continued test. The whole exercise is free.

‘’currently in the country, we have a very huge gap in the number that are expected to be diagnose. Last year, we had about 480,000 expected cases but unfortunately, only 120,000 cases that is bout 20percent were detection.

‘’The major problem for TB control in Nigeria is awareness. Many people out there do not really know what is TB is or what the symptoms are.

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That is the main purpose why we here in this market today. To encourage people to create awareness, sensitize the people on TB and also to let them know that it is curable if detected on time’’.

On his part, Dr Ayodele Awe a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), emphasize the need for everyone to know what the main cause of tuberculosis is.

He underscored the need to know the early symptoms of tuberculosis, stressing the need to report any case of cough that exceed two weeks for TB testing, screening and treatment.

According to him, since tuberculosis was declared a global emergency in 1991, Nigeria has been the number one country out of all the countries in the world in Africa that has the highest burden.

The WHO representative described as unfortunate that Nigeria has not been able to detect all the cases adding that the development has informed the need for the awareness campaign in the market.

‘’why we are looking for solution for covid-19, do not forget that tuberculosis is real. To contact the two is the same, through cough and sneezing. We are in the market today because we look for the largest place where we can get people.

‘’Our coming to this market today is to sensitize the market people, those that normally we don’t get because of their type of job. Therefore, we have about 100 persons go into different stalls talking to people.

Sensitizing them that that any cough that last for two weeks or more, we have a machine here, the WOW truck to examine them. The testing is free”.

He urged members of the press to also join in creating awareness in the sensitization campaign.

Some of the beneficiaries from the screening exercise commended the stakeholders over the initiative.

According to Ikechukwu Eze who also participated in the exercise, ‘’Ordinarily, I would not on my own visit the hospital to have this test. I thank the organizers for this kind gesture because in this market where we work, we come in contact with different people who come to buy from us.

‘’With this awareness, I am enlightened today that any cough that last for more than two weeks is not normal’’.

KNCV is an international center of excellence for TB control and promotes effective, efficient, innovative and sustainable tuberculosis control strategies in a national and international context.

The foundation’s team of professionals covers a broad range of expertise such as programmatic TB control research, clinical management, social science, education, digital health and project management.