Mrs Itohowo Uko, the Deputy Director, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), says lack of awareness and fear of stigma have been frustrating government efforts at controlling the disease in the country.
Uko, accompanied by Dr Urhioke Ochuko, Senior Medical Officer, Federal Ministry of Health, said this on Tuesday during an advocacy visit to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
She explained that the visit was to solicit the support of the agency in raising public awareness on this year’s World Tuberculosis Day.
NAN reports that March 24 is the global day set aside for advocacy on TB.
NAN also reports that NTBLCP is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Health, responsible for the cure and control of Tuberculosis and Cholera in the country.
According to her, there is need to sensitise the general public that TB is an airborne disease that is curable while the drugs are free at public health facilities across the country.
“We want to leverage on the media because TB knowledge in the country is very low; only 25 per cent of the populace are aware it is curable.
“It is an airborne disease usually caused by bacteria which can be transmitted easily when a carrier spits or cough into the air.
“Out of 100 persons that tested positive to TB, only 24 of them come back for treatment, where are the remaining 76?
“They are probably afraid of being isolated by the society if their status became known to them.
“A carrier can transmit the disease to another 10 or 15 persons; that is why we are here to partner with the agency for intensive advocacy,” she said.
Uko, who is the current Head, Advocacy, Communication and Mobilisation Unit, NTBLCP, said there would be a week-long event to commemorate this edition of the World TB Day.
They include Community Outreach to find missing cases, Road Walk to end TB, Gala Night, Ministerial Press Briefing and Launching of Road Map to end the disease in the country.
Similarly, Ochuko advised people to go for TB test for early detection and immediate access to treatment in order to avoid death associated with it.
“There are free drugs provided by government at public health facilities so that the nation can be highly free of the disease.
“Non-carriers need to know that it is an airborne disease, hence the need to show care to those affected and encourage them to go for treatment,” he said.
Receiving the visitors on behalf of NAN MD, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the Editor-in-Chief, Mr Idris Abdulrahman, noted that NTBLCP had taking the right step by embarking on the advocacy.
“NAN is up to task in disseminating information to both media and general public in the country. We shall notify our state, district and zonal offices to cover your programmes within their areas of operation.
“I urge you to do a lot of sensitisation on public safety. TB is an airborne disease; emphasise more on the use of handkerchief by people when in public,” he said.
On their part, Mr Mohammed Tola and Ms Hajia Sani, Heads, Health and Gender; and Multimedia Desks of NAN, commended the team for the visit and assured of increased public enlightenment to eliminate TB in the country. (NAN)

– Mar. 19, 2019 @ 05:50 GMT /