NGO says 900 tuberculosis cases occur in Plateau quarterly

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), The Breakthrough Action Nigeria, says over 900 cases of tuberculosis are detected in Plateau quarterly.

Speaking during an event for the commencement of the national tuberculosis testing week, in Jos, the State Coordinator of the organisation, Dr Catherine Igho, said the results were gotten from the hospitals and outreaches conducted in the state.

She said that the aim of the week-long testing was to create awareness about TB and to also intensify case findings.

According to Igho, the aim of the testing is to also put those vulnerable to developing active TB on preventive treatment and prevent community spreading as every undiagnosed and untreated case could infect 15 people within a year.

She pointed out that during the testing week, those detected would be promptly placed on treatment as there would be prompt notification of persons who test positive, which would help to address the issue of low TB case finding due to low awareness of the disease.

Similarly, Plateau Commissioner for Health, Dr Nimkong Ndam, said the essence of the week was to create a massive awareness of TB via community outreaches.

He said the exercise would hold in the 17 local government areas of the state.

Ndam who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Public Health, Dr Mafwalal Masok, lamented that TB which is a preventable and curable disease had led to the death and disabilities of many.

He called on people presenting symptoms such as weight loss, and cough which has exceeded two weeks to avail themselves of the free testing and treatments at designated medical outreach centres in their perspective LGAs.

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