The Nasarawa State government has inaugurated a 20-member steering committee to formulate a strategic plan to address rising tuberculosis (TB) cases among children.

Ibrahim Alhassan, director of public health at the Ministry of Health, disclosed this during the committee’s inaugural meeting on children’s tuberculosis care on Friday in Lafia, the state capital.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other organs such as the spine, brain, or kidneys. It can be life-threatening if not treated.

According to Mr Alhassan, the committee included key stakeholders, such as media representatives, and is tasked with devising strategies to enhance TB case detection among children.

He said it was most challenging to identify all cases and diagnose tuberculosis in children.

“The symptoms of TB in children are often not as pronounced as in adults, and collecting samples from children for testing is more difficult.

“We aim to develop strategies that will help us identify all children with TB and connect them to treatment, ultimately working towards eliminating the disease in the state,” Mr Alhassan said.

The director emphasised that the decision to establish a dedicated committee for children with tuberculosis stemmed from the ineffectiveness of the general approach used in previous years.

He also urged the public, particularly individuals exhibiting tuberculosis symptoms, to visit the nearest healthcare facility for testing and, if necessary, treatment.

The committee was formed to fulfil the government’s commitment to eradicate tuberculosis by 2035, as stated by Samuel Ovey-Dogara, the programme manager for leprosy and tuberculosis in Nasarawa State.

He explained that TB is spread through the air when a person with active TB coughs, sneezes, talks, sings, or laughs, releasing infectious germs.

“All primary healthcare centres and general hospitals, as well as the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia and the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, offer free TB testing and treatment,” Mr Ovey-Dogara said.

Mr Ovey-Dogara further noted that TB remained a significant health concern in Nasarawa State.

“In 2023, over 7,000 individuals were diagnosed with TB and placed on treatment. In the first and second quarters of 2024 alone, 4,627 cases have already been recorded, which is a worrying trend,” he said.

The committee, consisting of medical doctors, pharmacists, private healthcare facility owners, medicine vendors, journalists, and other stakeholders, is expected to play a pivotal role in the fight to eradicate TB in the state.

(NAN)