The Senior Programme Officer/ State Team Lead for KNCV Nigeria, Dr Emmanuel Ajumuka, said most of the challenges they are facing is resistance from residents in the state who manifest TB symptoms to be tested.
He said, “Patients manifesting TB symptoms in the state refused to summit sputum and stools for children for testing over a fear of ritual
“They said if they submit their children’s stool, we will use it for ritual and for that reason they refused to submit the stool, and as a matter of fact, the TB is a high increase in the state.
“Another problem we are having in Delta state is that the diagnosed TB patients refuse to continue with their drugs.
“Most of them refused to submit their sputum for test and most worrisome is that they refused to bring stool samples for their children TB test”
He said that about ten machines for testing TB in the state are not being utilised, noting that treatment is free.
In his opening remark at a one-day workshop training on tuberculosis, the Director, Public Health Department, State Ministry of Health, Dr Christian Tetsola decried the alarming rate.
He said TB is one of the old diseases but so bad that we are seeing the increase, appealing to the public to join hands in the fight against TB by utilising the facilities in the state.
He urged health workers to exhibit a good attitude towards TB patients to encourage them in early treatment.
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