Health
AN NGO, Hope for the Village Child Foundation, has screened no fewer than 100 people for tuberculosis treatment during medical outreach at Maraban Rido in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The foundation said it would provide treatment for those who tested positive to the virus, to commemorate the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day (WTD).
Its Deputy Director, Juliana Ekwoanya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of WTD that the foundation took the outreach to the Maraban Rido community due to number of cases of TB uncovered in the area.
The WTD is observed on March 24, to raise public awareness and understanding about the TB and its devastating health, social and economic impact on people around the world.
The deputy director added that the reason was due the number of cases of TB uncovered, when they visited the foundation’s hospital for diagnosis.
Ekwoanya, who is also the Head of Health Section in the foundation, thanked the government for making TB medication free.
She urged people to be tested for quick response in cases where one tests positive.
To the infected people of Maraban Rido, she appealed to them to ensure they practice good hygiene at all times, saying TB spreads faster in unhygienic environment.
According to her, people should sleep in well ventilated rooms to reduce the rate of transmission in the community.
In her remarks, the TB Coordinator of the Foundation, Mrs Happiness Yahaya, said most people assumed coughing to be normal and ordinary.
“People are not aware that frequent coughing may be a sign of TB, or other respiratory track diseases,’’ she said.
She listed some of the signs of TB which included persistent coughing, weight loss, night sweats, fever among others.
According to her, good ventilation, good hygiene, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing reduces the spread of TB bacteria.
Yahaya added that early diagnosis and treatment is the most effective way to prevent the spread of tuberculosis.
Appreciating the foundation for the gesture, the Village Head of Kudansa, Maraban Rido, Mr Auta Ganyi, emphasised the need for regular medical check-up.
He said there was no religion that kicked against medical check-ups, stressing the need for residents to embrace a healthy living through proper environmental management.
The community leader also thanked the foundation for choosing his community for the outreach.
The duo said they were feeling better and they would be done with their medication in a few months.
“We now have confident to go anywhere, we no longer cough as usual,” the duo said.(NAN)
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-March 25, 2024 @ 13:45 GMT|
Tags: Maraban Rido Mr Auta Ganyi Mrs Happiness Yahaya Mrs Kande Kasuwa Village Child Foundation
