World Tuberculosis Day: Avoid OTC, GSPHCDA boss warns TB patients
…..Gombe’s 70% notification rate higher than National Average
By Chima Azubuike
Tuberculosis patients have been advised by medical personnel to abandon Over the Counter treatment, with the state 70 per cent notification rate said to be more than the National Average.
Making this assertion on World Tuberculosis day with the theme; ‘Yes we can end TB, get involved,’ Executive Secretary of Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency Dr Abdulrahaman Shuaibu, said all stakeholders should get involved towards ending the scourge.
“This means stakeholders, government at all levels, implementing partners involved in fighting the dreadful must get involved,” he said.
Speaking further on the need to end Tuberculosis spread he enumerated certain requirements adding, “One is to avoid over crowding. Whenever, they have someone among them with symptoms of TB talking about cough more than two weeks duration, fever, unnecessary sweating they should be taken to the hospital instead of going to pharmacy to treat it over the counter. So they should seek medical care as soon as possible.”
He disclosed that there is free screening to encourage residents adding that drugs are free.
Shuaibu added, “Gombe State notified 2,762 cases of TB last year representing a notification rate of 70 per cent higher than the national average but childhood notification rate remains six per cent for the entire country, Gombe inclusive.”
