THE director and national coordinator, National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer-Control Programme, Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, says that Nigeria recorded 138,593 new cases of tuberculosis in 2020, the highest ever in the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anyaike, speaking during the donation of the Damien Foundation Genomics and Mycobacteria Research and Training Centre at the University of Ibadan, said that there is an estimated 440, 000 new tuberculosis (TB) cases in the country, even as cases of drug-resistant TB cases are on the increase.
He expressed the concern that drug-resistant TB and childhood TB were increasing in the country and therefore challenged researchers to help improve on diagnosis of TB, especially among children.
According to him, “Nigeria recorded 138,593 new cases of tuberculosis in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. That was the highest ever. Most worrisome is that drug-resistant TB which is on the increase in the country and I see the edifice as one of the steps that will help us, especially in the area of research.
“Childhood TB is a very big issue. Globally, Nigeria is one of the first five countries with the highest burden of childhood TB. In Africa, Nigeria is number one in terms of TB burden and it is the same among children. When you look at it, the children seem to be neglected and the number of TB cases is increasing among children.
“We also have difficulties in the diagnosis of the disease. We initially had problem with drug formulation but we are coming out of that; but the issue now is with diagnosis which we are improving upon. We believe this centre and our researchers will help us to tackle the problem of childhood tuberculosis in Nigeria.”
The Director, Damien Foundation Genomics and Mycobacteria Research and Training Centre, Professor Simeon Cadmus said cases of leprosy, TB and buruli ulcer are still in Nigeria and so researchers, through the collective collaboration of the academia, the programme managers and key partners need to find newer ways and tools to tackle these age-old diseases.
Country representative, Damien Foundation Belgium, Nigeria, Dr Osman El-Tayeb said the donated centre built with N70million and equipped with $40,000 will ensure genomic research to improve TB treatment and generate evidence to support policy change in TB treatment in Nigeria.
The acting Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Babatunde Ekanola, assured that the centre would be put to maximum use and in the training of new crop of scientists to help the country tackle its health problems.
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