Positive tuberculosis patient can infect 15-20 individuals annually-TB Supervisor

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

The positive case of tuberculosis in every individual sufferer has been identified as an infectious disease with the capacity to infect 15 to 20 people by a specific carrier within a year.
The Supervisor of Tuberculosis (TB), Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, Mrs.Mary-Anne Paul stated this in Okpanam during TB/Malaria Reach 6 Scale up Project for Community Outreach, organised by a non-governmental organisation,known as Excellent Community Education Welfare Scheme(ECEWS) on Thursday
Mrs. Paul who said that tuberculosis could cripple it’s patient particularly when not diagnosed and treated on time, stated that over the years, Oshimili North had recorded low cases of tuberculosis hence the need for ECEWS decided to assist those local governments with low profile cases of the disease with a view to curtailing the infection through diagnosis and treatment
While enumerating signs of tuberculosis to include persistent cough especially at nights, chest pain, weight loss , sweating at nights, and fever among others, Mrs. Paul disclosed that xtray for children suffering tuberculosis for ages one to fourteen years was free.
She advised any individual with symptoms of tuberculosis and malaria to always go for the testing.
Speaking in an interview with journalists, some beneciaries of the tuberculosis/malaria health outreach including Mrs. Mary Ozor and madam Anna Esobi appreciated the organisers of the programme, adding that they were happy to have benefitted from the initiative.
They appealed to other related non-governmental organisations to emulate the gesture of the Excellent Community Education Welfare Scheme and called on governments at all levels to always take the health care needs of the citizens particularly the elderly as one of their topmost priorities.