COVID-19: FG, stakeholders’ harp on importance of TB testing

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Federal Government and notable TB Organizations have called on Nigerians to test for tuberculosis.

The government, through the ministry of health and the TB stakeholders made the call recently in a webinar to mark World Tuberclosis Day.

The day was theme; clock is ticking to end tuberculosis in Nigeria, also had as its slogan, “That cough fit be Tuberculosis not COVID, check am oh.”

Meanwhile, the year’s world tuberculosis day, sought to create awareness about the devastating health and economic impact of tuberculosis and also accelerate efforts to end the global TB epidemic.

Speaking, the Executive Director, KNCV TB Foundation Nigeria, Dr Berthrand Odume advised citizens to get tested for Tuberculosis as people may be infected without knowing because they are asymptomatic.

“Now with the TB infection, you can have the TB, but you are not manifesting the disease. Now when you come to the facility, and we are asking you, do you have fever, do you have cough, weight loss or night sweat,  it’s only people that have the disease that will respond positive to the questions, then we can categorize them as symptomatic…, But people that don’t have the disease don’t manifest the symptoms, but it doesn’t mean that they don’t have TB infection.”

Odume, said, due to the fear of being diagnosed with COVID-19, case finding of TB patients was difficult as a lot of patients shied away from going to the hospital.
“We’ve noticed that with the stigma, associated with COVID-19, and knowing the similarities between the two Diseases, even people that have cough, out of fear of COVID, deny that they don’t have cough”
Also speaking, the Vice-Board Chair of  Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr Queen Ogbuji, noted that Nigerians are scared.

“We know that with COVID-19, people are scared, even people that are having TB and coughing, are afraid to come out, because they think they will be taken to the isolation center and be tested for Covid-19 so we still have many people who may have TB but are afraid to come out. And that underscores the importance of engaging the Communities.”
The TB Team Lead, USAID, Nigeria, Dr. Temitayo Odutse, called for the strengthening of the health systems in the country.
“So we are also calling for a strengthening of the health system in Nigeria, we need  to have peripheral,  health systems that the populace trust, primary health care centers they can walk into.”