Institute Cautions On TB Scourge

Following the global celebration of the 2012  World Tuberculosis (TB) Day last Saturday, a medical practitioner has urged Nigerians to guard against the spread of the disease.

The Head of Community Medicine Service, Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Dr Sipporah Kpamor  made the call in an interview with newsmen

The Day is celebrated annually on March 24 and the theme of this year’s celebration is “Stop TB in My Lifetime’’.

Kpamor described TB as an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called ‘Mycobacterium Tuberculosis’ that infects the lungs.

She listed the symptoms of the disease to include persistent cough, weight loss, extreme tiredness, a sense of feeling unwell and sweating at night whether the weather was hot or cold. She advised people who have cough to cover their mouth with handkerchief to avoid spreading the disease.

She also warned against throwing sputum in public places, saying that it was one potent means of spreading the airborne-disease.

Kpamor advised people with severe cough and who sweat persistently at night to go for sputum test.

“It is important that we protect those around us; when you cough, don’t spit it on the floor, because somebody might sweep the floor; so if you spit out your sputum cover it up, or use tissue and dispose of it properly.

“Whether you have TB or not, ensure that you cover your mouth with handkerchief to reduce the spread of bacteria. The doctor underscored the need for houses to be well ventilated.

Kpamor urged parents to ensure that their children take Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine to protect them from contacting tuberculosis. She explained that due to the relationship between TB and HIV, it was important for people to know their HIV status.

She also urged TB patients to take their drugs to prevent the disease from building up resistance.

Kpamor said that the Institute of Human Virology was making efforts to scale-up the diagnosis and treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis.