Maroc - VERACITY.COM.NG - A La Une - 24/Mar 13:55

WTD: Experts emphasise need for early TB testing

By Chidinma Ewunonu-AlukoDr Emmanuel Adesokan, Consultant Pulmonologist at University College Hospital, Ibadan, says tuberculosis is neither a spiritual affliction nor death sentence, speaking during World Tuberculosis Day, marked annually on March 24.Adesokan, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Ibadan, said tuberculosis was curable when diagnosed early and preventable through collective action.He emphasised it affected all groups regardless of status, while survival depended largely on timely response and access to testing.He urged anyone with cough lasting over two weeks to get tested at government facilities, noting tests were free, and warned that delayed care from informal providers increased transmission and worsened outcomes.According to him, symptoms include prolonged cough, night sweats, weight loss and blood in sputum, while Nigeria’s health system faces challenges like inadequate facilities, drug resistant tuberculosis and insufficient funding support.Adesokan said stigma remained a major barrier, causing underreporting and delayed diagnosis, and called for public education, survivor support, vaccination, community involvement, and improved access to laboratories and rapid diagnostic equipment.He said childhood tuberculosis was often missed due to subtle symptoms, adding Nigeria ranked first in Africa and sixth globally, recording about 500,000 cases annually and nearly 70,000 deaths.Dr Victor Nelson of Community Medicine Department, UCH, said Nigeria’s tuberculosis response reflected progress and challenges, noting more than 450,000 active cases and contribution of 4.6 per cent to global burden.Nelson said improved case detection showed progress, but many infections remained unidentified, continuing transmission, with gaps affecting men and children, while drug resistant tuberculosis and TB HIV coinfection complicated control efforts.He described tuberculosis as a social disease driven by poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding and inequality, urging updated national survey, stronger surveillance, better diagnostics, and involvement of survivors to reduce stigma nationwide.Nelson called for increased domestic funding, improved infrastructure, and multisectoral action, warning that reduced international aid threatened progress, and emphasising Nigeria must act urgently to end tuberculosis as a public health threat.