Dr Gaza Gwamna, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Health, says that 35 persons died of tuberculosis (TB)-related disease across the state in 2024.
The Commissioner stated this to journalists at a press conference to commemorate the 2025 World Tuberculosis on Friday in Lafia.
He explained that the state detected 8,190 TB cases in the year 2024, 21 percent of whom are co-infected with HIV, out of which, unfortunately, 35 of them died.
Gwamna said the prevalence rate in the state in 2024 was quite higher than in 2023, which was 7, 275 with 18 percent co-infected with HIV.
He added that records have shown that the disease is still a challenge in the state and called on everybody to intensify efforts to fight the menace.
The commissioner added that the state government and partners had increased the awareness campaigns and the number of treatment centers for easy accessibility by persons with TB symptoms.
“At the end of December 2024, the State has 386 Directly Observed Therapy, Short Course (DOTS) treatment centers spread across the 13 Local Government Areas for easy access.
“The state has a DRTB Treatment Centre at ERCC Hospital Alushi. It is a 10-bed space facility that was built, equipped, and donated by the Agbami Partners in 2017 as a Chest Clinic.
“This center caters to DRTB patients who are having one form of complication or the other, especially as a result of adverse drug reactions,” he added.
Gwamna gave the statistics of TB burden in LGAs to the 8,190 cases recorded in 2024, including Awe-179, Obi-350, Wamba-178, Nassarawa-Eggon 682, Nasarawa-1,846 and Toto-143.
“For effective and quick diagnosis of TB, the first GeneXpert machine was introduced into the state TB Programme in 2014. It can process and give results within two hours.
He said that the state has 15 GeneXpert sites with 20 GeneXpert machines in 10 out of the 13 LGAs in the state.
“We also have molecular diagnostic platforms at General Hospitals Toto and Keffi, with those of Ummaisha and Assakio awaiting installation.
“The state has TB-LAMP machines at Federal University Teaching Hospital Lafia, Mararaba Gurku Medical Centre, General Hospitals Keana, Odege, and Toto, respectively,” he added.
He said that Gov. Abdullahi Sule-led administration is committed to ensuring good healthcare delivery for its teaming population and would continue to provide a budget for the TB Programme in the State.
He said the ministry, in collaboration with partners, would reduce the cases of TB to the bearest minimum and subsequently eradicate it from the state.
He, therefore, advised that anyone who cough for two weeks or more that is productive of sputum or not; low-grade fever; persistent weight loss; chest pain; night sweats; and more to visit the nearest health facility for a check-up. (www.krestnews.com).