The National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP) says that Nigeria remains among the high-burden countries for tuberculosis globally.

NTBLCP national coordinator Chukwuma Anyaike said this while speaking on activities lined up for World Tuberculosis Day 2023 (‘Yes! We can end TB’).

The TB day is marked every year on March 24 to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increased investments, faster uptake of new WHO recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated action and multisectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.

Mr Anyaike said there is a need for continuous awareness towards ending preventable and curable diseases like tuberculosis and addressing the needless deaths and infirmities in the country.

According to Bethrand Odume, the executive director of KNCV Nigeria, teachers play a crucial role in educating the community about tuberculosis and its prevention.

“We plan to organise training sessions for teachers in schools to increase their knowledge about tuberculosis and to help them educate their students,” said Mr Odume, the 2023 National World Tuberculosis Day Planning Committee chairperson.

Mr Odume added, “By working together, we can make progress in the fight against tuberculosis and help to create a Nigeria free of tuberculosis.”

TB, a disease caused by a bacterium, often affects the lungs and is identified as the number one infectious killer disease in the world and among the top 10 causes of death worldwide.

It is spread from person to person through the air. When people with TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.

(NAN)