The Kaduna State Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program said it recorded 5,878 TB cases in 2020.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Health, Mohammed Shuaibu disclosed on Wednesday in Kaduna during the 2021 World Tuberculosis Day celebration.
Shuabiu said a total of 74,295 suspected cases were tested across the 23 Local government areas in the state, out of which 5, 878 were confirmed.
He said that there had been 106 per cent increase in number of suspected TB cases in the state in 2020, compared to the 2019 figure of 3,606.
The permanent secretary, however, said the state government has scaled up the number of health facilities providing tuberculosis services in the state from 43 per cent to 62 per cent.
According to him, childhood tuberculosis case detection presently is at five per cent of the total tuberculosis cases diagnosed in 2020, which is far below the national minimum of 10 per cent.
“We will do more to improve childhood TB case detection this year,” he assured.
Shuaibu disclosed that the treatment success rate for the state was excellent, with about 94 per cent of the TB cases diagnosed and managed successfully.
“A total of 13 Gene Xpert machines are available in the state across nine local government areas.
”This is in addition to the 184 AFB microscopy sites across the 23 Local government areas.
“These 13 Gene Xpert machines tested over 38,256 suspected TB cases.”
He said the government has adopted several strategies on case findings through house-to-house TB case search and screening of all hospital attendees in secondary and tertiary health facilities.
“We also have other strategies including private health facilities involvement in TB case identification, engagement of nutrition clinics to improve childhood TB case diagnosis, provision of free childhood and adult Chest X-ray for Clinical TB diagnosis.
“We have integration of presumptive TB case identification into all routine state activities in the PHC and engagement of health facilities not providing TB services to improve presumptive TB case identification.”
According to him, tuberculosis services was also expanded to 50 additional health facilities across the state.
He added that the government had produced additional TBL recording and reporting tools and installed three level 2 biosafety cabinet at the General hospitals in Saminaka and Ikara.
He also said the state has procured 20,000 sputum containers to aid in sample collection especially during demand creation activities.
”We procured five potable ECG machines for five drug resistant tuberculosis OPD sites to aid patients monitoring.
“We also procured twenty three motorcycles for the 23 local government TBL supervisors and one Hilux to improve monitoring and supervision at the LGA level especially to hard to reach areas.”
He called on residents to avail themselves of the opportunity and get tested when coughing for two weeks or more, adding that treatment is free.
The permanent secretary also urged residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“The world is still battling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the cases of deaths keep increasing, vaccines are now available in the country and in the state to help us return back to normal life.
“These vaccines are safe and effective, l urge everyone to avail themselves for the COVID-19 vaccination.”