By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Turbarculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA) with support from Implementing partners (IPs) has commemorates this year’s World Tuberculosis Day.
Addressing Journalists on Sunday 24th March, 2024 at the premises of the Agency during a press briefing to officially unveil activities line up to mark the TB Day in Bauchi, State Commissioner of Health Dr. Adamu Umar Sambo said that Nigeria is ranked 9th among the high burden countries and first in Africa with high for Tuberculosis.
Represented by the Director Medical Services of the Ministry, Dr. Suleiman Auwal Abubakar, the Commissioner further disclosed that Nigeria is among the 10 top Countries that accounts for 77 percent global gap in TB case findings.
The Commissioner said that BACATMA has made significant progress in terms of TB control both at the State and LG level.
Earlier in a welcome remark, Executive Chairman of BACATMA , Dr. Sani Mohammed Dambam revealed that activities slated for the commemoration of the 2024 World TB Day will include: Phone-in Radio/ TV programs to be aired Statewide, official flag-off ceremony by the State First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, Distribution of nutritional support and Integrated free medical outreach.
Other intervention during the coming week according to Dr. Dambam will be a targeted community outreach activities to create awareness on active TB case finding across the 20 LGAs of the State.
The EC then thanked WHO, Break-Through Action Nigeria, KNCV, GGHN, Pro-health International, JHF-SUFABEL, TLMN, LTR, GHSC-PSM , CSOs and CBOs for the productive collaboration with the Agency.
In a question and answer session, Director, Tuberculosis and Leprosy control of the Agency, Dr. Yakubu Gida Abdullahi disclosed that the Agency has state of the art TB testing equipments that deploys artificial intelligence in giving real time results.
Dr. Gida urged the media to create more awareness on the need for members of the public to come for testing, the moment coughing exceeds two weeks, to ascertain whether or not they have TB, stressing that, all TB tests and drugs are being given free to patients.
Representative of USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria Nura Bashir Faggo also informed the gathering on the existence of a National TB Toll-Free Line 3340, urging the general public to avail themselves such opportunities and inquire everything about TB testing and treatment.
This year’s World TB Day has as it’s slogan , “Yes! We Can End TB”.
