Fifty-One (51) persons of the 609 sample screened taking for Tuberculosis in Benue State which marked the 2021 World TB day, during the Community Outreach have shown to have symptoms associated with Tuberculosis.
The Senior Program Officer, KNCV Foundation Nigeria, Dr Chubby Eze, has expresses worry that about 9,000 TB cases in Benue were yet to be unaccounted for.
“As a result of this, we are carrying out this Community outreach to enable us reduce the number by getting these people to come out for the screening”
“Our target is to test at least 100 persons for the outreach and continue with the exercise even after the World TB until we meet our target”
“I advise people who for fear of being tested for COVID-19 at the Health Facilities and have resort to self medication to refrain from such act because such act has sent So many TB patients to their early graves, I want to emphasize hear that TB is treatable and is free of charge”
“If your cough exceed two weeks it is better to seek the attention of a physician, don’t go to Chemists or Pharmacies to buy drugs because only Doctors can direct you to go for proper diagnosis in order to ascertain the exact illness that is disturbing you”
“If you are tested and the result proved that you are TB Positive, you will be placed on appropriate treatment which will at most last for one year, depending on where the germs are located in your system”
The Coordinator, Breakthrough Action-Nigeria, Mr Dominic Usman advised TB patients to ensure that they take the complete dosage of their drugs in order not to come down with drug resistance TB.
He said that the health condition of patients who adhere strictly to their prescriptions improve greatly in record time.
Usman further encouraged TB Patients to also adhere to all the preventive measures of for their overall good and those around them.
“We are working hard to ensure that TB is eradicated in Benue that is why we have embarked on this medical outreach to commemorate the World TB day, we are using the outreach to achieve two things, one to test and those found positive will be place on treatment immediately and two is to create more awareness”
“We are therefore, calling for all hands to be on deck to ensure that we achieve the Target of 2035” he added
