Date: 2019-03-29

Dr Mohammed Oyeniyi, Head of TB, Leprosy and Buruli-ulcers Programme Control in Kwara, says the state recorded over 2,000 undetected cases of Tuberculosis in 2018.

Oyeniyi told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Ilorin that out of the 3,000 TB estimated cases in the state, only 780 cases was recorded.

"This still leaves deficit of over 2,000 cases of TB in Kwara," noting that the TB cases in the state was high with Kwara North health indices recording lowest.

Oyeniyi explained that this was because of few hospitals in the area which, he said, "are also understaffed".

The expert said that TB diagnosis and treatment in the state was free since 2003 and wondered why people still shy away from treatment.

He said: "There are great chances of recovery from the disease by patients who come to hospital for treatment."

The public health physician, however, observed that there is about 7.6 per cent of non-compliance of drugs usage among TB patients, which might complicate cases into multi-drug-resistance TB.

According to him, the bacteria that cause TB can develop resistance to the antimicrobial drugs used to cure the disease.

The physician noted that the reasons why multi-drug-resistance continued to emerge and spread are mismanagement of TB treatment and person-to-person transmission.

He explained that most people with TB are cured by a strictly followed six-month drug regimen that is provided to patients with support and supervision.

Oyeniyi advised Nigerians to visit any general hospital across the state for free treatment, adding that the UN Sustainable Development Goals include ending the TB epidemic by 2030.

The expert appealed to people to stop stigmatising individuals with TB.

According to him, some of the challenges in fighting TB include discrimination, compliance with drug intake and contact tracing of victims in remote areas of the country.