Bauchi State Ministry of Health said it recorded 7,806 confirmed cases of tuberculosis in 2022 and joined the global community to mark this year’s World Tuberculosis Day.
The state commissioner for health, Dr Sabiu Abdu Gwalabe disclosed this during a press briefing marking the World TB Day in Bauchi.
The commissioner represented by the executive chairman, Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA) Dr Sani Muhammad Dambam said that the figure was an increase of 2,154 over the 5,652 recorded in 2021.
He added that the 2022 figure represented about a 53 percent increase on the 2021 level, adding that this is the highest confirmed TB figures recorded so far in the state.
Eliminating Tuberculosis In Nigeria
LEADERSHIP gathered that this is coming at a time when health authorities in the state in collaboration with Breakthrough Action-Nigeria, intensify active case findings across the 20 LGAs of the state.
The commissioner added that the 2023 World Tuberculosis Day would be celebrated with a series of phone-in television and radio programmes to increase awareness among rural population of the state.
Speaking on tuberculosis control programme in Bauchi State, Dr Yakubu Gida Abdullahi, said the agency would train paediatric doctors from secondary and tertiary institutions on case detection among children as figures indicate high prevalence of the disease among children.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) set aside every March 24 to mark the World Tuberculosis Day annually to raise awareness about tuberculosis and efforts to end the pandemic.
