Taming Tuberculosis
With increased deaths recorded in Nigeria in 2014, tuberculosis may already have a foothold in the country. Busayo Adekoya writes about efforts to check the disease
Mustapha Zainab, 28, a housewife and a mother of two children was rushed to the general hospital in Kaduna by relatives. She had been ill for some weeks now without any sign of improvement. She managed to explain some of the symptoms she has to the doctor which were persistent heavy coughs, chest pain and night sweats.
The x-ray undeniably pointed to the source of her problems, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis — a deadly lung infection transmitted through the air.
It was not the first time Zainab had to deal with such a threatening diagnosis. Two years ago, she and her late husband both tested positive to HIV. Against the doctor’s advice, the husband refused any form of drugs and treatments that could guide against any further infectious diseases. Shortly after, he was diagnosed of tuberculosis that later led to his demise.
According to the World Health Organisation (W.H.O), Tuberculosis (TB) is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide due to a single infectious agent. In 2013, 9 million people fell ill with TB and 1.5 million died from the disease. Over 95 per cent of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and it is among the top 5 causes of death for women aged 15 to 44.
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis and HIV form a deadly combination, claiming 600,000 lives a year in Nigeria, despite the fact that tuberculosis can both be prevented and treated.
For a long time, Zainab decided to keep her HIV status to herself for fear of being stigmatised. One of the hardest things for HIV and tuberculosis patients to deal with is the loneliness and isolation that this social stigma brings which is why most victims present themselves in late stages.
“I couldn’t tell anyone the cause of my husband’s death. Everyone thinks he died of malaria and typhoid” says Zainab as she narrates her ordeal. “When we were both diagnosed of HIV, he refused to register for free treatments but later I went back to try and register for the free drugs but was told that there was shortage of supply of HIV treatment drugs and it will take awhile before they get.
After going to the hospital twice for the drugs and none was yet available, I left the hospital disappointed and I never returned until now,” she says with tears rolling down her cheeks.
Women play a central role in maintaining and improving the health of their children and families. Mothers are known to be caregivers, and when they become affected by disease, their illness leads to time off work, loss of income, and even death.
Several children have been orphaned because of tuberculosis and this deadly infectious disease has made families fell into a vicious downward spiral that may be carried forward to the next generation, pushing people deeper into disease and poverty.
“I cannot afford the treatment of tuberculosis and I don’t want to die now and leave my children orphaned. What will become of them if I die like their father? Who will care for them and bring them up properly?” asked Zaniab in despair.
Recently, the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) has said that over 600,000 new cases of tuberculosis have occurred in Nigeria, according to the survey conducted in 2014, with 91,354 cases placed on treatment.
National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, Dr. Gabriel Akang who made this statement during the 2015 World TB Day with the theme ‘Nigeria Unites Against Tuberculosis, in Abuja, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) ranked Nigeria to be 3rd among the 22 highest prevalence of TB burden countries in the world, adding that DOTS services are currently provided in about 6000 health facilities in the country and diagnosis in 1,515 microscopy laboratories.
In curbing these growing numbers of tuberculosis victims in Nigeria, organisations such as the Star Deepwater Petroleum