By: Theresa Moses
Lagos state government has deepened awareness on the danger of tuberculosis, which has accounted for many deaths due to delayed testing and proper treatment in the state.
Considered as one of the “silent killer disease,” Tuberculosis Awareness Data in Lagos State indicated that 4,621 new cases were recorded in the first quarter of 2023 with Alimosho, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, and Ikorodu local government areas hardest hit.
“Alimosho has 477 incident cases, Ajeromi -Ifelodun have 367 cases, and Ikorodu has 366 incident cases. However, the three LGAs are at risk due to high population density. Additionally, Mushin also recorded 308 incident cases, Ojo and Badagry with 292 and 278 cases respectively.
Dr. Olusola Daniel Sokoya, Deputy Director & Programme Manager, State Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme Lagos State Ministry of Health, said the data indicated that “Lagos State accounts for 11 percent of TB cases in Nigeria with an estimated 54,000 persons projected to be suffering from TB based on the National Incidence Rate of 219 per 100,000 population.”
Dr. Sokoya made this known at a one-day Media Training held recently in Lagos, organised by the Institute of Human Virology (IHVN) in collaboration with Breakthrough Action- Nigeria (BA-N).
The media training was aimed at building the capacity of media practitioners and health producers on key concepts in Tuberculosis Awareness and Control so that they could use the knowledge to create content on Tuberculosis.
Sokoya, affirms that “TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers, and it is the commonest cause of death among persons living with HIV. According to the Global TB Report 2022, about 10.9 million people fell ill due to TB in 2021 and 1.5 million deaths occurred due to TB infection.
Nigeria is ranked 6th among the countries that contribute to the global burden of TB with over 440,000 estimated cases as of 2019. TB cases from Lagos state captured at the national level of a five-year trend were 9,727; 10,150; 11,723; 13,497; 17, 276 in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 respectively. ”
He further stated that the government has put in place the needed resources to ensure the availability of free TB services in most health facilities in the state including GeneXpert machines.
“We want people to know about tuberculosis. Anyone who has a cough for two weeks or longer can be tested for it with over 38 GeneXpert machines in 32 sites across general hospitals, and tertiary health institutions in the state. The diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis are free of charge, tuberculosis can be treated; no one should die of tuberculosis” he added.
Dr. Joseph Edor, Senior Programme Officer ll TB/RCCE USAID Breakthrough Action-Nigeria explained that Tuberculosis is an airborne disease caused by mycobacteria and is spread through the air when people who have the disease cough, sneeze, or spit. While the risk factors for tuberculosis are malnutrition, both in adults and children, HIV, diabetes, and close contact with a person with undiagnosed TB.
“The commonest type of TB usually attacks the lungs (as pulmonary TB) adding that TB can also affect the central nervous system, the lymphatic system, the circulatory system, the genitourinary system, bones and joints, the spine or any other parts of the body”.
Dr. Edor worried that an untreated case of TB can infect an average of 10 to 15 people in a year, hence called for the following preventive tips, and strategic interventions: “avoiding overcrowded areas, maintain good cough etiquette: cough inside the elbow, or into disposable tissue paper or handkerchief, and avoiding spitting indiscriminately, making sure that all eligible contacts especially children must be put on TB preventive treatments (TPT).
Active case search in communities (house-to-house TB case finding and community outreaches, engagement of the private sector, active case-finding among vulnerable populations, symptomatic screening of all Outpatient department attendees for TB, symptomatic screening of children at Maternal Neonatal Child Health Clinics, increase access to diagnostic examinations, massive awareness creation using the media, national TB hotline and community structures.”
Dr. Babajide Kadiri, Lagos state Team Lead USAID IHVN TB LON 3 Project on childhood tuberculosis, said that TB disease in children under 15 years of age is a public health problem of social significance because it represents a recent transmission from an infectious adult.
Kadiri observed that challenges with childhood TB control include, “low childhood TB awareness among the general population, poor health-seeking behaviour, stigma, and discrimination, Limited Media engagement in TB awareness creation, low index of suspicion for child TB by health providers, and low funding for childhood TB control.”
Discouraging members of the society against TB stigmatisation and discrimination he said that “once a person with TB is stigmatized, it becomes more difficult for the person to start or continue with care because their fears of being identified as being or having been infected with TB may hinder their access to other health services. Leading to delay in seeking care, developing more serious symptoms and more likely to transmit the disease to more people in the community”
Dr. Kadiri encouraged family, friends, and colleagues to take care of persons with TB “so that he/she would have greater chances of completing his/her medicines and getting completely cured. Communication on the efficacy of TB treatment over the risk of transmission, and also survivor testimonials and advocacy messages from influencers to further normalize TB and help catalyze cultural shifts”.
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