By Yetunde Oke
Tuberculosis, TB testing week for children has commenced across the 36 states of the federation.
This was made known by Tuberculosis and Leprosy Supervisor, Egbeda Local Government Area, of Oyo State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Shafara, at Alwajud Agbomojo Care Foundation, located at the Local Government Area.
According to Mrs Shafara, the testing week is to identify TB missing cases in children from age 0 to 14 years.
Mrs Shafara, said after testing and TB cases are identified, treatment will be given for free, urging parents to make their children available for the testing and should also look out for signs and symptoms of persistent cough and weight loss.
On his part, 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, said the country needs to identify more TB cases in children.
Mr Ajayi added that inadequate TB cases identification was why National TB programme in Nigeria came up with a testing week, noting that this year’s testing week has commenced today to end 2nd of June, 2024.
Also speaking, founder of Alwajud Agbomojo Care Foundation, Mrs Olaitan Ismail, expressed joy that her foundation was chosen for TB Testing in the state.
Mrs Ismail, noted that the TB testing programme was first of its kind in Egbeda community.
