Anambra govt confirms 8,000 tuberculosis cases

The Anambra State government has confirmed over 8,000 tuberculosis cases in the state.

The state’s Commissioner of Health, Afam Obidike, who addressed journalists at a news conference to mark the 2023 World Tuberculosis Day on Friday in Awka, said the cases were recorded in 2022.

He added that the cases are currently receiving treatment at 800 health facilities in the state.

The commissioner noted that tuberculosis was curable when detected early.

World Tuberculosis Day is marked on March 24 every year.

Obidike said: “This is why Chukwuma Soludo’s administration has remained focused in making sure that the TB programme is given all the necessary attention to end the scourge in our time.

“For the past year, the TB programme has detected more than 8,000 TB cases against the targeted number of more than 13,000 cases in the state.

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“That is about 80 percent detection, which made the state win several national awards as the best TB programme in the south-east in terms of TB cases notification and best childhood TB notification in Nigeria in 2023.

“These 8,000 cases are currently being treated at the 800 health facilities that offer TB treatment in the state.

“TB is treatable and curable if detected early.

“It may lead to death if not detected and treated early and this is why we want to equip our people with the right knowledge to avoid casualties from TB cases.

“Persistent or chronic cough of more than two weeks which may come with blood-containing mucus, fever, drenching night sweats and weight loss are some of the major symptoms of TB.”

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