• February 17, 2025

 

The Executive Director, KNCV Tuberculosis (TB) Foundation, Nigeria, Dr. Odume Bethrand, has disclosed this his organization in collaboration with other partners are working hard to ensure that Nigeria joins the league of countries that are TB free.

He disclosed this while responding to questions from journalists at a sensitization campaign on the dangers and the need for prompt treatment of TB organized by KNCV TB Foundation and other partners in the fight against TB, at Wuse Market, Abuja, weekend.

According to him, his NGO decided to take the campaign to Wuse market because of its desire to ensure that Nigeria joins the rest of the world to end TB.

“Most times, we have community outreaches, but this year, we decided to come to the Wuse market with this TB Market Storm to create awareness.

“Nigeria need to join other countries to end the TB epidemic.
“You can see the WOW truck. It is a one stop shop for TB screening and diagnosis and we have linkage coordinators to link anybody who has TB to any treatment site in the FCT.

“We equally have Gene Xpert machine in the Wow truck. In a space of within two hours, anybody can have his result and be linked with the treatment centre,” he said.

Speaking, the Director, Head of Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilisation at the National TB and Leprosy Control Programe of the Federal Ministry of Health, Utohowo Uko, noted that the campaign is targeted at reaching out to hundreds of both buyers and sellers who visit the market.

According to her: “Wuse market is a big market and we thought that we could get as much people as possible to sensitize them on TB.

“We know that the knowledge of TB in Nigeria is quite low, so we choose Wuse market to carry out our Market Storm.

“Already we have our partners stationed in the market to create the needed awareness with flyers and posters.”

She, however, insisted that, TB is an airborne disease which is preventable, treatable and curable.

“The federal government of Nigeria with the support of our partners have made the test, diagnosis and medication free,” she stressed.

On his part, the Acting Board Chairman, Stop Tuberculosis (TB) Partnership, Dr Ayodele Awe, called on governments at all levels to give the fight against TB the needed attention.

“While we are fighting Covid-19, we should not forget about TB. Covid-19 and TB are almost the same thing. They are both airborne diseases,” he reiterated.

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