Stigmatisation, Bane Of TB Cure – Expert

Stigmatisation has been de
scribed as a very big threat to the management and cure of tuberculosis in the country.
A medical practitioner with the Lagos-based Non-governmental Organisation, Action Health Incorporated, Dr. Olajide Sobande  while speaking The Tide shortly after a Three-Day Training of Tuberculosis (TB) Vanguards in Obio/Akpor Local Governmental Area by the Rivers State Government in collaboration with development partners recently, said the high level of stigmatisation meted on Tuberculosis patients by the public has slowed down the pace of efforts geared towards eradicating the disease in the nearest future.
Sobande who noted with dismay the misconception attached to the disease said “this has even made some of the patients to move into their shelves. They will not even present themselves for the treatment. That is why we are doing this training to cancel such misconceptions and explaining to the people the right attitudes towards these patients to enhance their relief”.
Also speaking, the TBLS Coordinator, Obio/Akpor Local government Area, Mrs Beatrice Anyanwa said “as Air-borne disease, it contaminates but that is not enough reason to stigmatise them”.
Anyanwa who stated that the misconceptions and beliefs attached to the disease were not true said it had become imperative that relatives of Tuberculosis patients and the public consolidated on the efforts of the government in the fight against Tuberculosis by holding the hands of TB patients and presenting them to the Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) centres for treatment.
“The government is really trying to see that TB goes extinct in the state. We need to help the government achieve this aim by not discriminating against TB patients but becoming their brothers and sisters and encouraging them to go for treatment as well as serving as their direct observers linking them to the treatment centres”.
Anyanwa further revealed that poor nutrition, poor immunity and over-crowding were triggers of the disease and called for assistance by TB relatives public and stakeholders to aid the patients live a normal life saying “we have missed a lot of them due to lack of assistance”.