The State TB programme manager, Dr. Ibrahim Gano, stated this during the TIFA-SOFT project dissemination meeting, on Thursday in Kano.
He said 9,941 cases were detected in the last quarter of 2022, the highest quarterly TB notification figure ever in Nigeria.
He said that any untreated TB patient could transmit the disease to about 10 to 15 people within a year, adding that Kano is the most populous state in Nigeria and one of the five high TB-burden states.
Gano said the government in collaboration with partners accorded premium to quality healthcare delivery and well-being of the people to make the state TB-free.
He said the state government has expanded TB diagnostic equipment to cover distant communities across the state.
“The state government has deployed mobile TB screening tools and machines for TB screening and diagnosis. Training of healthcare workers on TB diagnosis, treatment and reporting.
“Expansion of TB diagnosis and treatment services to more private health facilities. Enhanced collaboration with all our partners, Community Based Organisations, Civil Society Organisations, professional associations as well as traditional and religious leaders,” he said.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator, Tuberculosis Implementation Framework Agreement and Social Franchise for TB Contact Investigation, Iboro Girdon, said the project was designed to improve the uptake of TB prevention therapy across the private health facilities in the state.
The project, she said also seeks to increase contact investigation and screening in the facilities.
“We noticed that over the years, private health facilities lack enough manpower to carry out an investigation that is why KNCV engaged CBOs to find cases and placed them on TB prevention therapy,” she stated.
She said the project surpassed its target and achieved 183 per cent in TB prevention uptake.
“We have been able to place 15,000 households contacts on TB preventive therapy and reach over 9,000 household index cases and placed them on TB prevention therapy,” Gordo said
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