touchaheart Nigeria reports that there were 7,806 tuberculosis cases in Bauchi State in 2022.
The Executive Secretary, Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria, Dr Sani Mohammad, said on Monday at a news conference to celebrate the 2023 World Tuberculosis Day in Bauchi.
Dr. Sabiu Gwalabe, the commissioner for health, was represented by Mohammed at the press conference.
He claimed that the amount was an increase of 2,154 from the 5,652 figures reported in 2021.
To increase public awareness of tuberculosis and initiatives to end the pandemic, the WHO designated March 24 as World Tuberculosis Day each year.
At the end of 2022, 5,192 new cases—or 94%—of the 5,518 new cases that were started on treatment had been successfully managed.
127 diagnostic centers, 15 GeneXperts, and 794 free tuberculosis treatment facilities are currently available in Bauchi State, he added.
Mohammed said that the state administration was actively conducting case studies around Bauchi State in cooperation with implementing partners like Breakthrough Action-Nigeria.
He said that a number of phone-in television and radio programs would be held in honor of World Tuberculosis Day in 2023 in order to raise awareness.
Moreover, free testing and treatment for tuberculosis, COVID-19, HIV, hepatitis, and malaria would be offered, along with nutritional help for some patients.
The agency would train pediatric doctors from secondary and tertiary institutions on case detection among children, according to Dr. Yakubu Abdullahi, Director of the Tuberculosis Control Program in Bauchi State.
He claimed that in order to find children with tuberculosis, the agency worked in conjunction with nutritional clinics throughout the state.
Although it is difficult to diagnose tuberculosis in children, Abdullahi said, “we have decided to use their stools as samples.”
