By Ngozi Onyeakusi—Cough that lasts more than two weeks , pain in the chest , unexplained weight loss , night sweats and fever , have been identified by health experts as major symptoms of tuberculosis.

In effect , they advised that once one notices these symptoms , he or she should proceed right away to the hospital and see a doctor for tuberculosis could be fatal as well as it is curable .

Emphasising that tuberculosis diagnosis , test and treatment is free of charge at public health facilities the experts urged the public to get treated right away and stop the spread of the disease.

The health experts , made their voices heard at a one-day Media Training held recently in Lagos , organized by Institute of Human Virology (IHVN) in collaboration with Breakthrough Action-Nigeria (BA-N).

The media training was aimed at building the capacity of media practitioners and health producers on key concepts in Tuberculosis Awareness and Control so that they can use the knowledge to create content on Tuberculosis.

They also decried that despite significant progress made in the fight against TB epidemic in the country, only 25% of Nigerians have correct knowledge about the disease and as such many cases of TB infections occur every year without the knowledge of health officials , hence the training.

Speaking at the event , Dr Joseph Edor , Senior Program Officer ll TB/RCCE USAID Breakthrough Action-Nigeria explained that Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB ) is an airborne disease caused by mycobacteria and is spread through the air, when people who have the disease cough, sneeze, or spit.

He noted that the commonest type of TB usually attacks the lungs (as pulmonary TB) adding that TB can also affect the central nervous system, the lymphatic system, the circulatory system, the genitourinary system, bones and joints , spine or any other parts of the body.

Worried that an untreated case of TB can infect an average of 10 to 15 people in a year , Dr Edor called for the following preventive tips , and strategic interventions ” avoiding overcrowded areas maintaining good cough etiquette, avoid spitting indiscriminately , making sure that eligible contacts especially children must be put on TB preventive treatments TPT. ”

” Active case search in communities “house to house TB case finding and community outreaches. Engagement of private sector . Active case-finding among vulnerable populations Symptomatic screening of all Out patient department attendees for TB. Symptomatic screening of children at maternal neonatal child health clinics. Increase access to diagnostic examinations . Contact tracing of TB patients. Massive awareness creation using the media , national TV hotline and community structures.”

On childhood tuberculosis , Dr Babajide Kadiri , Lagos state Team Lead USAID IHVN TB LON 3 Project,
said that TB disease in children under 15 years of age is a public health problem of social significance because it represents recent transmission from an infectious adults.

However , Dr Kadiri observed that challenges with childhood TB control are ,” no childhood TB awareness among the general population, poor health-seeking behaviour , stigma and discrimination , Limited Media engagement in TB awareness creation , low index of suspicion for child TB by health providers , low funding for childhood TB control”.

Discouraging members of the society against TB stigmatisation and discrimination he said that once a person with TB is stigmatized , it becomes more difficult for the person to start or continue with care because their fears of being identified as being, or having been infected with TB may hinder their access to other health services .

Earlier, Dr Olusola Daniel Sokoya , Deputy Director and Programme Manager, State Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme Lagos State Ministry of Health, Earlier, pointed out that 11 per cent of the National TB cases happened in Lagos State due to high burden of population.

And despite that he stated that Lagos state government has put in place the needed resources to ensure the availability of free TB services in most health facilities in the state including GeneXpert machines .

Dr Sokoya therefore called on the public to avail themselves of the opportunity since undetected cases pose significant threat to the fight against TB in the country.

Charging the media to campaign and champion the course to end tuberculosis in Nigeria he called on other stakeholders to increase investment in plan for ending TB as a public health challenge.