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Adamawa records 23 cases of drug resistance TB in 3 months – Manager

Adamawa records 23 cases of drug resistance TB in 3 months – Manager
By Yakubu Uba
Tuberculosis
Yola, March 25, 2019 (NAN) No fewer than 23 cases of drug resistance Tuberculosis (TB) has been recorded in Adamawa from January to date.
The state Programme Manager for TB and Leprosy Control, Dr Boniface Gundiri, disclosed this known on Monday in Yola at a ceremony to commemorate World TB Day.
Gundiri said 60 drug resistance cases were recorded among the total cases of 2,756 TB cases recorded last year.
He raised concern over the rising cases of drug resistance TB in the state, calling for additional funding and personnel to ensure more effective fight against the epidemic.
The manager lauded partners involved in the crusade, pointing out that there is increase in the cases finding from last year which informed the opening of a treatment centre at the Yola Federal Medical Centre to handle patients with drug resistance TB.
He listed some the challenges facing the programme in Adamawa as lack of funding and inadequate personnel to track patients.
“Part of our challenges are funding and the issue of motivation for TB supervisors who at times use their money to look for patients,” Gundiri said.
The state Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Bwalki Dili, said this year’s theme: “It is Time’’ was a wakeup call for everyone to sit up towards the target of eradicating TB by 2030.
Dili stressed the need for more enlightenment for the public, particularly those with symptoms of coughing for two weeks or more to visit the nearest testing centres to verify.
Also speaking, the representative of Jannah Health Foundation (JHF), a leading partnering NGO, Dr Stephen John, said the foundation has 102 TB supervisors across the state.
John reiterated the commitment of the NGO to continue to partner with the state and organisations involved in the fight against TB and other epidemic in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Fatima Atiku, lauded health workers involved in the fight against TB and assured them of support.
Atiku said the World TB Day commemoration was the first in the state by the administration to show its renewed commitment to the fight against the scourge.
Atiku who noted the high level of milk production in the state, cautioned the public, particularly nomads, against the consumption of unpasteurised milk which, she noted, was one of the major causes of TB. (NAN)
YMU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Mrs Buhari advocates synergy to end TB in Nigeria

Mrs Buhari advocates synergy to end TB in Nigeria
By Ahmed Ubandoma
Advocacy
Abuja, March 20, 2019 (NAN) The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has advocated for more synergy among stakeholders to end the spread of tuberculosis epidemic in Nigeria.
Mrs Buhari made the call at the TB Outreach Programme organised by her Future Assured initiative in collaboration with Stop TB Partnership in Nigeria, an NGO, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The programme was organised to commemorate the World Tuberculosis Day at Kobe Villa, Kuruduma District in Abuja.
The wife of the president, who led the awareness campaign to the village, urged Nigerians to go for regular tuberculosis test and treatment to ensure that TB was eliminated in Nigeria.
“TB is one of the killer diseases of our time, so there is a need to tackle the problem, some medical facilities in the FCT are designated for testing and treatment of tuberculosis.
“TB test is free, TB is curable and please visit the medical centres to get the test and treatment,’’ she said.
Mrs Buhari therefore urged tuberculosis patients to take their medication regularly as the ailment was curable.
She also called on Nigerians to go for regular diagnosis for early detection and treatment to ensure the elimination of the killer disease.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the United Nations Committee on Tuberculosis (TB) in 2018 appointed Mrs Buhari as the UN Special Ambassador to end TB in the country.
The appointment was in recognition of her selfless services to health advocacy in Nigeria. (NAN)
AMU/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Association sets up HIV/AIDS, TB/STIs, sanitation team in Nasarawa

Association sets up HIV/AIDS, TB/STIs, sanitation team in Nasarawa
By Awayi Kuje
Teams
Nassarawa Eggon (Nasarawa State), Dec. 17, 2018 (NAN) The Eggon Cultural and Development Association (ECDA) Worldwide, says it will set up special teams of experts to address some diseases ravaging its members.
Mr Wilberforce Alaku, the new National President of the association, made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday shortly after the inauguration of the newly elected executive members of the association in Nasarawa Eggon.
Alaku listed the diseases as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) as well as a sanitation team to educate members and other Nigerians on the dangers of the diseases on human health.
Besides, he said that the association would establish a medical centre in the state in order to provide healthcare services to members and other citizens.
Alaku explained that the proposed medical facility has become imperative considering the importance of health to the socio-economic development of the country.
“We will set up an HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis/STIs, sanitation team to educate our people and provide help to the care giver. Consequent upon this Eggon Medical Centre shall be established.
“We shall reactivate ECDA Endowment Fund and revisit the idea of establishing a Micro Finance Bank, a laudable initiative established by the former Chris Mamman-leadership in the interest of our people.
“We shall work together to restore the lost glory of Eggon Community Secondary School, Nasarawa Eggon considering the importance of education to societal development.
“We shall also revisit the Eggon House project with a view to having a befitting secretariat for ECDA and the Eggon people as the Azhili festival shall also be revived with a view of strengthening the Eggon culture and tradition,” he said.
The ECDA national president also promised to discharge their duties without fear or favour while soliciting support to enable them succeed.
Besides, Alaku encouraged the members of the association to get their PVCs and come out en masse to vote for candidates of their choice during the 2019 general election.
Mr Harry Anyuabaga, the Oath Commissioner, while administering the oath of office to the new officials, charged them to discharge their duties without fear or favour and with the fear of God.
Earlier, Mr James Manzah, the out-gone national president of the association, appreciated the stakeholders for giving his team the support and cooperation to succeed while in office.
He listed their achievements to include promotion of peace and unity among members and other ethnic nationalities in the country.
Others were the N2.5 million bailout given to Eggon Community Secondary School, Nasarawa Eggon, for the payment of staff salaries; and presentation of Eggon position on the Bill for the creation of new chiefdoms in Eggonland to the state House of Assembly.
“Eggon Error chiedom was created and a third class chief has been appointed,” he said.
However, he said their challenges while in office included lack of a befitting secretariat, lack of operational vehicles and poor financial contribution from members.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those sworn in included Mr Adamu Kasimu as Vice President; Dr Vincent Paul – General Secretary; Allu Christopher – Assistant General Secretary; Organiza Arigu – Financial Secretary; Samuel Ablaku – Treasurer; Paul Anza – Publicity Secretary; Yakubu Azhen – Cultural Secretary, and Musa Angba – Auditor. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Nigeria, health partners to treat 1.5m missing TB cases

Nigeria, health partners to treat 1.5m missing TB cases
NAN-HG-25
Tuberclosis
Lagos, Oct. 9, 2017 (NAN) Global health partners and implementers from 13 countries, including Nigeria, with a high burden of Tuberculosis (TB) have launched a programme to find and treat 1.5 million missing cases of TB by the end of 2019.
The new initiative is important in stopping the spread of TB and reaching the global goal of ending TB as an epidemic by 2030.
A statement by Ibon Villelabeitia, Communications Specialist, Global Fund, said the new effort seeks to support a combination of innovative and targeted programmes to promote better use of data and approaches to find more missing cases of TB.
The 13 countries to implement the programme include Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Ukraine, Kenya, Mozambique and India.
According to the statement, the decision is a fall-out from the 48th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Guadalajara, Mexico.
It said that every year, 10.4 million people got sick with TB, which is a preventable and curable disease.
“Of those individuals, 40 per cent do not even receive care they are `missed’ by health systems after failing to be diagnosed, treated or reported.
“The result is that many will die or continue to be sick and transmit the disease or if treated with improper drugs, contribute to the growing menace of drug resistance,’’ the statement said.
The statement quoted Dr Eliud Wandwalo, Senior Disease Coordinator, TB, Global Fund, as saying: “Urgent action is needed to break the transmission cycle of TB and drug-resistant TB to save millions of lives.
“It is also to achieve the global goal of ending TB as an epidemic by 2030; the longer the delay in finding the missed cases, the longer it will take to reach global targets.’’
Dr Sahu Suvanand, the Deputy Executive Director of Stop TB Partnership, said: “This is a great opportunity for all of us to support countries in finding the missing people with TB.
“These are people who have been so far left behind in some of the most vulnerable and underserved populations,’’ Suvanand said.
The statement quoted Dr Akramul Islam, TB and malaria control programmes for BRAC, an NGO, as saying that the private and public health sector providers need to work closer to identify missing cases.
“Despite all our efforts there are still too many missing cases.
“Without proper diagnosis and treatment of these missing cases, it will not be possible to meet our targets,’’ Islam said.
The statement said: “Missing TB cases and drug-resistant TB are major challenges in fighting the disease and pose serious threat to global health security.
“Deaths from drug-resistant TB when tuberculosis bacteria is resistant to existing medication, now account for about one-third of all antimicrobial resistance deaths worldwide.”
According to the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, Nigeria is ranked as the country with the fourth highest cases of TB worldwide.
The statistics also showed that over 80 per cent of TB cases were still undetected, while it claimed over 1.5 million lives annually in the country.
Also, the 2016 Global TB report showed Nigeria as having the highest TB burden in Africa and ranked 4th in the world.
The report also revealed that Nigeria was among the 10 countries that accounted for 77 per cent of the global gap in TB case finding.
In 2016, Nigeria notified less than 20 per cent of the total TB cases estimated for that year.
Therefore, more than 80 per cent TB cases in the country were undetected, implying that there are lots of undiagnosed TB cases in the community which served as a reservoir for continued transmission of TB. (NAN)
OOG/VIV/MST
Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FG launches national wellness campaign for TB control

FG launches national wellness campaign for TB control
NAN-H-22
Tuberculosis
Abeokuta, Sept. 29, 2017 (NAN) The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has flagged off the national ‘Wellness On Wheels’ (WOW) campaign to control the spread of Tuberculosis (TB) and to increase case detection rate of the disease in the country.
Adewole launched the campaign on Friday in Abeokuta in the company of Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun.
According to the minister, the campaign will ultimately lead to the elimination of tuberculosis in the country.
“These mobile TB diagnostic units will improve access to TB services by bringing TB screening and diagnosis to the door steps of clients as a one-stop shop”.
“Ultimately, this will ensure early diagnosis and treatment of TB, and contribute to halting the transmission of TB in the community.
“It will also improve the health seeking behaviour of the people through the health messages provided in the course of the campaigns,” he said.
He described the fight against the disease as a global task, saying that it is a collaborative effort between the federal and state governments, donor agencies and relevant stakeholders.
The minister disclosed that the United Nations has placed premium priority on the campaign against tuberculosis, adding that a summit will be dedicated to the course in 2018.
Amosun urged officials of the state ministry of health to ensure optimal usage of the truck so as to achieve its set objective.
He said that a detailed result on the progress of the scheme would be made available, adding that the campaign will be taken to all the citizens of the state across the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 20 feet lead container inaugurated by the minister is equipped with an X-ray machine and two GeneXpert machines.
The truck has two separate compartments consisting of the X-ray room for screening and a laboratory for diagnosis of TB. (NAN)
YAF/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

80 per cent of TB patients in Plateau aged between 15 and 54 – official

NAN-H-1
Tuberculosis

Jos, April 4, 2017(NAN) Eighty per cent of people infected with Tuberculosis in Plateau fall within the productive age group of 15 and 54, Dr. Kuden Deyin, Commissioner for Health, said on Tuesday in Jos.

Deyin told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the figure was based on a survey conducted by the ministry in 2016.

“Out of 2,493 cases recorded in 2016, 1,998 of the patients, which constitute 80 per cent, were within the productive age group of 15 to 54 years; this is a great threat to the economic growth of the state,” he said.

He said that the disease, if not controlled, would bring the the Plateau economy to its knees “in the next few years”.

The commissioner said that Plateau had consistently paid its counterpart funds to secure free treatment for  Tuberculosis patients, but regretted that some issues had made the control of the diseases rather difficult.

He identified the issues to include inadequate equipment and manpower to clinically ascertain the correct status of suspected cases.

Another impediment is the difficulty in accessing certain terrains, where some patients, believed to be infected with the disease, reside.

The official suggested that the treatment and diagnosis of Tuberculosis be integrated into the main stream of the health care delivery system so that every clinic, no matter how remote, should be able to detect the micro-organism that causes the disease.

“Such clinic should also be able to administer treatment as it is absolutely free,” he said.

He also suggested that traditional healers and patent medicine vendors should be trained to identify the basic symptoms of the disease, pointing out that those groups were usually the first medics visited by patients in the rural areas.

“Training the traditional healers and patent medicine dealers on how to identify the symptoms of Tuberculosis and referring them to the nearest hospital or clinic, where they can access treatment, is very fundamental to saving lives,” he said.

The commissioner listed symptoms of the disease to include night sweat, fever, loss of weight, chest pain, difficulty in breathing and blood in the mucus, while coughing.

Deyin advised people with such symptoms to visit the nearest hospital for prompt attention.

He also advised patients to complete their medication to avoid complications that could result into multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis. (NAN)

UBO/ETS

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Ephraims Sheyin

Health

Niger yet to achieve 90% TB identification target — Commissioner

NAN-HG-11
Identification
By Mercy Osajiugo
Minna, March 24, 2017 (NAN) The Niger Commissioner for Health, Dr Mustapha Jibril, says the state is yet to achieve the 90 per cent target of identifying people living with tuberculosis (TB).

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Friday, on the occasion of the 2017 World Tuberculosis Day with the theme “Unite to End TB’’.

The World TB Day, observed annually on March 24, is to build public awareness that tuberculosis still remains an epidemic that causes deaths of nearly one and half  million people annually.

It also commemorates the day in 1882, when Dr Robert Koch, a German microbiologist, announced his discovery of the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus.

The Niger health commissioner said the state had achieved 70 per cent identification
of people living with the disease, but that the number was not enough.

According to him, there is a national mandate to identify 90 per cent of people with TB and treat over 85 per cent of them.

He added that the state had 3,900 hard-to-reach communities which posed challenges to treatment and cure of the disease.

He stressed that “the Niger State Ministry of Health is working hard by increase people’s awareness about the disease.

“We are increasing the number of sites where people with TB can visit for treatment and where people can go for diagnosis.

“I want to say  that TB drugs are free and accessible; TB is treatable and curable.”

Jibril advised people to look out for friends and relations with TB symptoms and identified the symptoms as coughs that persisted for over two weeks, consistent weight loss and night sweats.

He added that people with the symptoms should visit hospital immediately and
not to relate it to witchcraft.

He also warned that people should not indulge in self-medication, as it was dangerous.

TB, which is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, is a contagious disease that usually attacks the lungs.

It can also spread to other parts of the body such as the brain and spine and travels through droplets of an infected person. (NAN)
MNO/VIV/HA
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Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu