By Yetunde Oke
According to statistics, over 361 000 Tuberculosis, TB cases were reported in Nigeria in 2023, in which children are said to acquire 9% of the cases.
This marked a 26% increase in the number of cases compared with 2022.
Tuberculosis is fatal, preventable and treatable and is caused by bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
It attacks the lungs and can also affect other areas of the body.
Also, the disease is spread through the air when people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit.
To check the spread of tuberculosis, stakeholders decided to set aside a week for yearly TB National Testing across Nigeria.
However, this year’s TB testing week focuses on missing cases of TB in children.
The Tuberculosis and Leprosy Supervisor, Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Shafara, during the TB testing at Alwajud Agbomojo Care Foundation, a testing center at Egbeda, highlighted the importance of the exercise.
Mrs Shafara, said during the screening for children aged 0 to 14 years, those suspected to have symptoms of TB would be treated free of charge.
She urged parents to make their children available for the testing, at designated centers in Oyo state.
Also speaking, a representative of USAID, Mr Femi Ajayi who spoke on behalf of other partners in support of the fight against TB, Breakthrough Action Nigeria and Institute of Human Virology, at Alwajud Agbomojo Care Foundation, Egbeda, said the country needs to be committed in checking TB cases in children.
At Sabo community, Mokola, Ibadan, TB campaigners Stakeholders sensitized members of the public against stigmatisation of children and adults with TB, saying the disease is preventable and curable.
Chairman, Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria, Oyo State, Mr Samuel Akingbesote who made this known, said Nigeria has not been at par with the expectation of TB case findings, especially in children aged 0 to 14 years, due to stigmatisation.
Similarly, Director, Strategic Information, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria under TB Project in Southwest, Mr Michael Pedro, said data is important in TB Testing, as it enables contact tracing which helps to curtail the spread of TB.
In her contributions, Tuberculosis and Leprosy Supervisor, Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Iwo Road, Mrs Kehinde Bilau, urged parents to cooperate with the state government on preventive measures such as encouraging their children to always cover their mouths while coughing, avoid spitting indiscrimately and adhere strictly to personal hygiene.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, the Childhood TB Focal Person for Oyo State, Mrs Titilayo Adebola said parents and teachers, who are the closest people to children, could easily identify signs and symptoms of TB, such as persistent cough, weight loss, loss of appetite, tiredness and night sweat.
Mrs Adebola said this during the exercise at Islamic Mission Primary School, Odo-iye, Yemetu, Ibadan.
Mrs Adebola also noted that if there are suspected or confirmed TB cases in adults, all children around such adults must be brought in for testing, adding that TB testing and treatment are free of charge in all Primary Health Care Centres across the state.
In conclusion, as TB testing week across the country gradually grinds to a halt on Sunday 2nd of June, stakeholders have called on National Tuberculosis Control Programme, NTP to use the data from this year’s and previous years TB Testing to mobilise resources in fighting the disease.
They further called for more TB awareness programmes among families and communities, as well as integration of TB services into routine children’s health services, such as nutrition and immunization programmes.
