Between 10- 15 percent TB cases in Kano are children says KNCV TB Foundation
As the state records 95 percent treatment success rate in 2022
About 26,371 cases of Tuberculosis (TB) were diagnosed and notified in Kano state in 2022 by the Kano State TB and Leprosy Control Programme (KNS-TBLCP) out of the 31,232 projected target.
Out of the number, between 10 – 15 percent are children.
Senior Program Manager and Cluster lead Kano Cluster, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Nigeria, Mamman Bajehson who disclosed this in a chat with The Guardian yesterday, observed that Kano State in 2022 recorded a treatment success rate of 95 percent.
Bajehson noted that the state has 1,346, TB treatment sites, with 23 GeneXpert diagnostic sites, six Truenat diagnostic platforms, one Drug-resistant treatment centre, Four TB LAMP diagnostic platforms and four Wellness on Keke mobile units spread across the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.
He said, “The burden in kano is extrapolated by using the national incidence rate and projected state population of about 38,000. The people appreciate the free TB diagnostic and treatment services, uptake is high with good patient retention.
According to him, there is also the need to improve on childhood TB which is slightly below our projected benchmark. “This is being addressed with concerted efforts through state, partners and multisectoral collaboration to intentionally target pediatric age group congregate settings hitherto devoid of TB screening services (e.g schools, nutrition and welfare centres
He said that in order to end TB in Nigeria, there is a need to implement all elements of the END TB strategy, address the unmet funding gap, bring interventions to scale across the board and collaborate with other partners and sectors.
“The KNSMOH has a dedicated Twitter handle, Facebook where the KNSTBLCP post-TB-centric messages to their followers, the KNSTBLCP also partners with BA-N (USAID partner) for demand creation activities like radio shows on popular stations, use of a National toll-free TB helpline (3340) and motorised campaigns across communities”, he added.
