Kwara State, North central Nigeria, has revealed that tuberculosis killed 1,869 lives in 2023 and assured that there are ongoing efforts aimed at its total eradication.
This was disclosed by the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, on Monday, while delivering a speech during the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day with the theme ‘Yes! We Can End TB’.
The World Health Organisation, described tuberculosis as an infectious disease usually caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The WHO noted that it generally affects the lungs called pulmonary tuberculosis and can also affect other parts of the body – extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
It, however, noted that some of the infections remain as latent tuberculosis with no symptoms, while about 10 per cent of the latent infection progresses to active disease and can kill if left untreated.
The Kwara commissioner said, “It is only when all active cases are treated that we can break the chain of transmission of Tuberculosis.
“The Kwara State Ministry of Health remains committed to finding cases of tuberculosis wherever they may be.
“We are intensifying community sensitisation and active case search using our well-established structures of community informants, surveillance officers, and community TB/HIV workers.”
Meanwhile, the wife of the governor, Professor Olufolake Abdulrazaq, represented by the Director-General of Ajike People’s Support Centre, Alhaji Ganiyu Opeloyeru, reiterated the government’s commitment to eliminating tuberculosis and promoting a healthy Kwara State, North-central Nigeria
Also, the Enugu State Commissioner, Southeast Nigeria, for Health, Prof Ikechukwu Obi, said the state recorded a total of 2,496 confirmed cases of Tuberculosis in 2022.
Obi, who disclosed this at a press conference to mark the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day in the state, revealed that data for 2023 was still being collated, appealing to residents with persistent coughs to go to any nearby healthcare facility for screen and treatment.
While noting that treatment of tuberculosis was completely free, the health commissioner said that the state was providing TB services in 597 health facilities across the state.
Obi said, “Nigeria is 1st in Africa and 6th in the world among countries with highest TB burden. In 2022, an estimated 10.6 million people developed active TB globally.”
Similarly in 2023 the Borno State Government, Northeast Nigeria, according to the state’s Commissioner of Health, Prof Baba Malam-Gana, identified 5,000 cases of tuberculosis.
