By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The Bauchi State government has established 570 free Tuberculosis (TB) treatment centres in the state.
Dr Aliyu Maigoro, the state Commissioner for Health, said this at a briefing to commemorate 2021 World Tuberculosis day on Wednesday in Bauchi.
Maigoro said the state government, under the state Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, The Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA), has made significant progress in the control of Tuberculosis in the state.
“The state established 570 free TB treatment centres, 177 TB diagnostic centres and 12 GeneXpert Machines.
“Which is the latest for diagnosing both drugs sensitive TB bacteria and the drugs resistant strain of the bacteria that course multi-drug resistant form of TB (MDR TB).”
“Out of this number, 4,082 cases were detected in 2019 at the end of their treatment in 2020, while 93 per cent were successfully treated,” Maigoro said.
He said the state was committed to reach the high risk population for TB to identify and implement innovative strategies to improve testing and treatment among the high risk.
He called on the stakeholders, Civil Society Organisations, religious leaders and private sectors to join the drive to roll out the strategy to reach, diagnose, treat and cure those suffering from Tuberculosis in the state.
