“Diagnosing tuberculosis in children is a challenge, but we have decided to use their stools as samples.’’
Bauchi recorded 7,806 cases of tuberculosis in 2022, Sani Mohammad, executive secretary of Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria, said on Monday in Bauchi.
He disclosed this at a news conference to mark the 2023 World Tuberculosis Day.
Mr Mohammed represented the health commissioner, Sabiu Gwalabe, at the news conference. He said the figure was an increase of 2,154 over the 5,652 recorded in 2021.
The WHO set aside March 24 to mark World Tuberculosis Day annually to raise awareness about tuberculosis and efforts to end the pandemic. He also said that the 2022 figure, representing about a 53 per cent increase from the 2021 level, was the highest recorded in Bauchi to date.
“Out of the 5,518 new cases that were placed on treatment in 2022, about 5,192, that is 94 per cent, were successfully treated at the end of the year.
“Bauchi State currently has 794 free tuberculosis treatment centres, 127 diagnostic centres and 15 GeneXperts,’’ he said.
Mr Mohammed said the state government, in collaboration with implementing partners such as Breakthrough Action-Nigeria, was conducting active case findings across Bauchi.
He said the 2023 World Tuberculosis Day would be celebrated with phone-in television and radio programmes to increase awareness.
Nutritional support for some patients and combined free testing and treatment for tuberculosis, COVID-19, HIV, hepatitis and malaria would also be provided, he added.
Yakubu Abdullahi, the director of the Tuberculosis Control Programme in Bauchi, said the agency would train paediatric doctors from secondary and tertiary institutions on case detection among children.
He said there was a collaboration between the agency and nutritional clinics in the state to detect tuberculosis in children.
“Diagnosing tuberculosis in children is a challenge, but we have decided to use their stools as samples,’’ Mr Abdullahi said.
(NAN)
