66 die of TB in Niger

At least 66 persons out of the 1,611 cases who had tuberculosis in Niger State have been confirmed dead.
The State Commissioner of Health and Hospital Services, Dr. Mustapha Mohammad Jibrin, confirmed this on Thursday during a press briefing to mark the 2016 World Tuberculosis Day in Minna.
Jibrin said ‎883 persons, representing 85 per cent, were treated and cured.
Accordingly, he said: “In 2015 about 1,000 persons were screened for MDR-TB, with over 30 persons on a 20 months treatment regime of care in the State.
“Out of the total number of affected persons, 24 people, representing 2 per cent, defaulted, while the number of death recorded so far represents 6 per cent.”
Jibrin added that 174 Direct Observed Therapy centres existed in the state, even as enabling environment would be created to meet up the national target of 75 per cent from the present 48 per cent by the Niger State.
He noted that the government has adopted key strategies to address the burden of TB.
This includes awareness creation and sensitization, establishment of TB disease control programme, active surveillance system at the community level and equip hospitals for free treatment.
The Commissioner informed that globally in 2014, an estimated 9.6 million new cases were reported, with 1.5 million deaths, while according to World Health Organisation, 95 per cent of TB deaths occurred in the low and middle income countries of the world.
Jibrin said the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has promised to use the bottom-up system of approach in achieving 1.0 health services in the state by establishing one Primary Health Care centre in each of the 274 wards of the state and provide at least four medical workers each.