WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY Bauchi Government Urges Citizens To Seek Early Diagnosis,Treatment

By Adamu IMAM Bauchi 

WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY 

Bauchi Government Urges Citizens To Seek Early Diagnosis,Treatment

By Adamu IMAM Bauchi 

In an effort to fight against tuberculosis disease in Bauchi state, the people who have persistent cough symptoms have been advice to use diagnosis, and treatment centers at various local government areas of the state.

This was disclosed during a press briefing in commemoration of the world tuberculosis day celebrated globally on the 24th of March by the World Health Organization WHO.

The occasion was organized by USAID Breakthrough action in collaboration with Bauchi state for the Control of HIV/AID  Turbaculosis, Leprosy, and Malaria Agaency BACATMA 

This year's commemoration of world TB Day is designed to build public awareness that TB remains an epidemic in most parts of the world, causing deaths of nearly 1.5 million People each year; mostly in developing countries. 

Nigeria Ranked 6th among the high burden countries in the world and 1st in Africa.

Against this background, health experts said in 2023, Bauchi state detected and notified 9,332 drug susceptible TB cases as against 7,806 in 2022.

Dr. Adamu Sambo Commissioner of Health ably represented during the celebration by Dr. Sulaiaman Auwal Director medical services of the ministry 

It is my pleasure representing the entire good people of Bauchi State to join the global community in commemorating this year's World TB Day with a theme, "Yes! And a slogan, "We Can End TB". 

This affords us the opportunity to assess progress made towards achieving the End TB Strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Nigeria Ranked 6th among the high burden countries and 1st in Africa with high burden for TB, MDR-TB & TB/HIV. Nigeria is among the ten (10) top countries that accounts for 77% of the Global Gap in TB Case Findings and contributes 9% to the Global Gap between TB Incidence and Notified Cases. Despite being preventable and curable, globally TB sickens about 10 million people and kills 1.4 million year after year.

It is gratifying to inform you that, "in 2023 Bauchi State detected and notified 9, 332 Drug Susceptible TB Cases in 2023 as against 7, 806 in 2022. With an estimated TB Target of 16, 092 in 2023, the State had achieved a 57.9% performance in TB Case Notification. And out of the 7, 730 New TB Cases detected and registered for Treatment in 2022, about 7, 435 were successfully treated thereby achieving a 96% Treatment Success Rate (TSR) at the end of 2023".

"With the current commitment of Bauchi State Government, this administration under the leadership of His Excellency Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, BACATMA has made significant progresses in terms of TB Control both at the State and LGA Levels. In Bauchi State there are currently 794 FREE TB Treatment Centers, 127 TB Diagnostic Centers and 16 GeneXpert, three (3) Truenat and Eight (8) TB Lamp Machines which are the latest machines that diagnose both the Drug Sensitive TB bacteria and the Drug-Resistant Strain of the bacteria that course Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR-TB) form of TB. It is interesting to note that all the 20 LGAs in Bauchi state have at least one of the latest machines for Molecular Diagnosis of TB" he stressed.

"Our united effort is needed to reach those at highest risk for TB and to identify and implement innovative strategies to improve Testing and Treatment among high- risk populations" he maintained.

At this juncture "I will like to call on all stakeholders; International Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, Religious and Traditional/Community Leaders, Private Sectors to join the drive to roll out this strategy and to reach, treat and cure all those who are ill from TB today.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, we are marking this year's commemoration with series of activities aimed at increasing awareness and active TB Case search. These include;

1. Phone-in TB Radio and Television Program to be aired statewide

2. Official Flag-off Ceremony of the 2024 World TB Day to be performed by Her Excellency, the First Lady of Bauchi State, Chairperson of Advocacy and Community Social Mobilisation (ACSM) of BACATMA and the TB Ambassador of Bauchi State.

3. Distribution of Nutritional Support for TB and Leprosy Patients.

4. Integrated Free Medical Out-reach for TB, COVID-19, HIV, HBV, HCV, Malaria and Genotype.

5. Targeted Community outreach activities to create awareness, active TB case finding in all the 20 LGAS.

On hi part the director TB BACATMA Dr Abdullahi Yakubu responded on the issue of the distance of the facility for TB patients to get access, the health expert explained that they have already put measures in place to address that with the use of Artificial intelligence currently the procured vehicle for that purpose is kept inside

The breakthrough action in collaboration with BACATMA however, enjoined media and relevant stakeholders to create awareness that TB disease is curable