World Tuberculosis Day: We take TB testing to residents in communities – Betta Edu

 

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The government of Cross River State has said it began moving trucks around local communities to fish out persons with Tuberculosis because of its critical symptoms and how it ravages the human population.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu said residents are being tested with mobile X-rays machines to check their chest and sputum to see if it is positive with TB.

We immediately begin treatment if the checks show symptoms of tuberculosis, Edu explained.

Speaking in an interview to mark World Tuberculosis Day, Edu said, “For us in Cross River, we don’t wait for the patients to show up in our clinics before testing them. We go all the way out to look for patients in communities.

She said over 60 per cent of those who have tested positive to TB in the state have been put on treatment, especially at the community level.

She said that way, the patients do not have to go all the time to the hospitals to get their drugs and refill.

“I believe very strongly that if Nigeria follows suit with all of our partners supporting us, we will be able to reduce significantly the prevalence of TB in the nation, she maintained.

She also used the opportunity to inform residents of the state that there are over 450 health centres in the state including the Infectious Disease Hospital in Calabar where people can access free care for Tuberculosis.

The Commissioner added that anyone who has a cough that was beyond two weeks, breathlessness, excessive sweating at night, fever, chest tightening and other signs should go to any of the care centres in the state and get tested.

TB is reported to be the 13 leading cause of death and the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19.