Oyo state Government, in conjunction with, Breakthrough Action-Nigeria (BA-N) alongside other partners have again provided residents of the State the opportunity to access free Tuberculosis testing and Treatment.
The state government made this known during the commemorated of the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day in a Press Conference/Road Outreach at Ibadan North Local Government secretariat, Iwo Road on Monday, 25th March, 2024.
According to the Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, said the government has provided free TB services across 684 health facilities in the 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and will also commence community-free TB testing across 33 LGAs today, 25th March, 2024.
Ajetunmobi, who was represented by the Director for Public Health, Dr. Akintunde Babatunde, said in a national data of 15percent target, Oyo state obtains 5 percent for children with TB and the government is doing everything possible to increase awareness so that the disease will be curbed before they grow older.
The commissioner also highlighted 2 weeks-long cough, chest pain, shortness of breath as some of the symptoms of TB. She warned that failure to complete the 6 months’ medication, patients are liable to have a recurrence and become a source of transmission in the public arena.
State coordinator, Breakthrough Action-Nigeria, Oluwatoyin Afachung, pleaded with residents of the state to stop the stigmatization of TB patients by supporting one another in utilizing the free testing made available in all Primary Health Facilities in Oyo state.
Afachung also reiterated that TB is a deadly disease that can be cured through proper testing and treatment but called for more awareness among the people so as to reduce the spread of the disease.
In his speech, Ibadan North East Local Government Area Chairman, Honorable Ibrahim Akintayo, said Ibadan North East Local Government is one of the LGA with the highest number of new TB cases, and highest number of multi-drug resistant cases lost to follow up.
Consequently, Honorable Akintayo approved the release of funds to support Multi drug resistant TB patients in Ibadan North East in order to minimize the proportion of cases lost to follow up and to curb dangerous treatment interruption.
The theme of World TB Day 2024 is “Yes! We can end TB!”.
