52,652 instances of tuberculosis were reported at the national level in four years, according to Prof Akin Abayomi, the state health commissioner for Lagos, as captioned by Entrepreneurng report.
According to Prof. Abayomi, there were 11,723 cases found in 2019, 10,150 in 2020, 13,499 in 2021, and 17,280 in 2022.
He said that the state is responsible for 11% of all TB cases in Nigeria, with an estimated 54,000 people expected to be affected by the disease, according to the national incidence rate of 219 per 100,000 people.
Every year on March 24, the world commemorates World TB Day to increase public awareness of the terrible physical, social, and economic effects of this curable disease and to urge swifter action to eradicate it.
The campaign to achieve universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals, which are reflected in this year’s theme, “Yes, we can eradicate TB,” emphasizes the importance of ensuring equitable access to prevention and care.
“TB cases are increasing dramatically, and the effects are becoming more severe.”
The most frequent cause of death among people with HIV is TB, which continues to be one of the worst infectious killers in the world. According to the global TB report 2022, 1.5 million people died from TB infection in 2021, while 10.9 million people became ill with the disease.
With about 440,000 projected cases as of 2019, Nigeria is rated sixth among the nations that contribute to the global burden of TB. According to the national incidence rate of 219 per 100,000 people, Lagos State accounts for 11% of TB cases in Nigeria, with an estimated 54,000 people predicted to be TB patients.
At the national level, Lagos State had 11,723, 10,150, 13,499, and 17,280 TB cases in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, he said.
The commissioner stated that the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis and drug-resistant TB variants of the disease caused by strains of the pathogenic bacteria that are resistant to frequently prescribed drugs has made the public health danger posed by TB more complex.
According to him, DR-TB and XDR-TB are responsible for more serious cases that are challenging to treat and necessitate the use of very toxic and expensive drugs.
He claims that there are a large number of TB patients in the state who have not yet reported to medical facilities, are undiagnosed, untreated, and thus present a risk of infection to the public.
He said that the state is actively treating 4,300 TB cases in public health institutions.
Notwithstanding the huge burden of TB sickness in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-administration Olu and its development partners are steadfast in their efforts to stop the plague.
The government has established the necessary infrastructure to guarantee the accessibility of free TB services at more than 1,200 healthcare facilities, including Primary Health Care Centers, General Hospitals, and Tertiary Health Institutions.
To increase access to TB screening in communities and 18 healthcare facilities around Lagos State, the government has funded three chest X-ray vans for deployment.
He continued, “The cutting-edge X-ray equipment available in public health facilities is intended to facilitate TB screening and ensure access to effective treatments.
In conclusion, he pointed out that TB is treatable, curable, and preventable.
Source: Punch
