A non-governmental organization called Hope for the Village Child Foundation has conducted a medical outreach at Maraban Rido in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, screening a minimum of 100 individuals for tuberculosis treatment.
The foundation announced that in honor of World Tuberculosis Day, WTD, in 2024, it would treat patients who tested positive for the virus.
On the sidelines of WTD, its deputy director, Juliana Ekwoanya, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the foundation reached out to the Maraban Rido community because of the high number of tuberculosis cases that have been found in the area.
On March 24, the world trade day is observed to increase public knowledge and comprehension of tuberculosis (TB) and its catastrophic effects on the health, social, and economic spheres for people worldwide.
The deputy director added that the reason was due the number of cases of TB uncovered, when they visited the foundation’s hospital for diagnosis.
Ekwoanya, who is also the Head of Health Section in the foundation, thanked the government for making TB medication free.
She urged people to be tested for quick response in cases where one tests positive.
To the infected people of Maraban Rido, she appealed to them to ensure they practice good hygiene at all times, saying TB spreads faster in unhygienic environment.
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“People should sleep in well ventilated rooms to reduce the rate of transmission in the community”, she urged.
In her remarks, the TB Coordinator of the Foundation, Mrs Happiness Yahaya, said most people assumed coughing to be normal and ordinary.
“People are not aware that frequent coughing may be a sign of TB, or other respiratory track diseases,’’ she said.
She listed some of the signs of TB which included persistent coughing, weight loss, night sweats, fever among others.
Good ventilation, good hygiene, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing reduces the spread of TB bacteria., according to her.
Yahaya added that early diagnosis and treatment is the most effective way to prevent the spread of tuberculosis.
Appreciating the foundation for the gesture, the Village Head of Kudansa, Maraban Rido, Mr Auta Ganyi, emphasised the need for regular medical check-up.
He said there was no religion that kicked against medical check-ups, stressing the need for residents to embrace a healthy living through proper environmental management.
The community leader also thanked the foundation for choosing his community for the outreach.
Some of those who tested positive to TB in 2023 by the foundation, Mrs Kande Kasuwa and Mr Ayuba Rakumi, thanked the foundation for their support and free medication.
In a few months, the pair said, they would stop taking their medication because they were feeling better.
“We no longer cough as usual, and we feel confident to go anywhere,” the pair remarked.
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