Institute raises concern over high tuberculosis mortality rate in Ogun State
The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has sounded the alarm regarding the significant number of deaths attributed to tuberculosis in Ogun State.
The institute highlighted that in 2023, over 300 patients out of more than 6,000 recorded cases in Ogun State succumbed to tuberculosis.
Florinda Olawusi, Senior Programme Officer at IHVN, conveyed this information to journalists in Abeokuta during the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day event.
The programme officer highlighted a significant increase of over 100% from the institute's 2019 data.
She mentioned that according to data from IHVN and the USAID TB-LON 3 project for Ogun State, there were 3,000 recorded cases in 2019, with 95% of patients already undergoing treatment.
"Since the inception of the TB Long 3 project in Ogun State in 2019, there has been a notable rise in annual diagnoses. For instance, in the past year alone, over 6,000 cases were diagnosed, marking a substantial increase from the previous figures. This represents a more than 100% surge in diagnosed cases," she elaborated.
The treatment spans a duration of six months. This implies that upon completing the six-month treatment regimen, patients exit the program. "Last year, we identified 6,000 cases, with 95% of them commencing treatment," she explained.
Addressing inquiries regarding the number of fatalities, she acknowledged, "Yes, there have been TB-related deaths in the past year, with slightly over 300 patients succumbing to TB-related causes in Ogun State."
State Programme Manager for TB and Leprosy Control, Olusola Taiwo, also highlighted that residing in overcrowded environments contributes to the tuberculosis surge. He urged residents to "opt for well-ventilated spaces and adhere to proper coughing etiquette to curb the spread of TB bacteria."
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