Benue State commissioner for health and human services, Dr Yanmar Ortese, said the state is ranked first in the North Central Zone with the highest number of tuberculosis burden with an increase from 5,000 to over 7,000 cases in 2023.
He added that Nigeria also ranks first in Africa and 6th among the 30 high burden countries globally of the disease.
This is even as the State Tuberculosis vand Buruli Ulcer Control Programme manager, Dr Terence Akighir informed that out of the 7,273 cases of persons diagnosed of TB and placed on treatment 109 are drug resistant persons who need special treatment.
Ortese who disclosed this in Makurdi during a press briefing organised by Breakthrough- Action Nigeria and other partners to mark the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day celebration said the increase in the TB annual case notification was achieved through the introduction of the Wellness on Wheel a.k.a WoW Truck to aid on the spot diagnosis.
He said, “The WoW Truck is a state- of- the -art technology operationalized on a mobile truck housing a digital X-ray machine, two 4 Modular GeneXpert machines and a level 2 bio-safety cabinet, with the collaborative efforts of the State Ministry of Health and Human Services and the United States Agency For International Development USAID through the TB local organizations network project implemented by KNCV.”
He described the WoW truck as a game changer in TB case diagnosis and notification which he said has aided the state in winning national award on achieving 20 percent increase in TB case notification which has raised the annual case notification from 5,000 to over 7,000 in 2023 with Benue leading the North Central with 72 percent.
With the theme, “Yes We Can End TB”, the commissioner said TB is curable and “we can win the battle against the disease, if we can act swiftly and decisively to ensure that no one is left behind in our efforts to end TB.”
To achieve this, the commissioner said, “We must strengthen our healthcare systems and ensure that qualify TB services are accessible to all , we must also address the social determinants of TB which include poverty, malnutrition, overcrowded living conditions as well as engaging partnership and collaboration at all levels and affected communities to share knowledge, resources and best practices.”
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