Tuberculosis kills 887 in Nasarawa

No fewer than 887 lives were lost out of over 12 ,874 cases of Tuberculosis between 2012 and 2016 in Lafia , Nasarawa State.

The state Director, Department of Public Health and Tuberculosis Control , Dr . Danjuma Aboki , in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH , noted that 80 per cent cases of the disease in the state were pulmonary (lung ) TB , while 20 per cent of the ailments were extra - pulmonary TB .

According to Aboki , about 82 per cent of Tuberculosis patients have been treated in the state and are responding to treatment.

He said, “From 2012 to 2016 , we were able to register 12 , 874 TB cases in the state , and within that period , those that were registered and started treatment had to be followed up to see what report would come from them.

“We had to follow up on the patients for a minimum of 15 months , so as to know the number of those that had died, disappeared and those that had been cured in order to give account of everyone. ”

He explained that the pulmonary TB patients were placed on six - month treatments , while the others received 15 - month treatments.

He listed some common symptoms of Tuberculosis to include urine with blood, cough , fever , chest pain, difficulty in breathing, and loss of appetite.

According to him, some preventive measures include increased awareness on the intake of cow milk, use of rooms with cross- ventilation , avoiding the use of handkerchiefs by carriers and avoiding the use of feeding/ drinking containers by carriers .

Aboki stated that 20 per cent of TB / HIV victims died, adding that the state had 13 general expert centres and 90 TB centres.