The Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP) Ekiti State, in conjunction with Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria, has called on journalists to use their platforms to create better awareness on the prevention and treatment of TB in the society.
This is the thrust of a one day TB Media Personnel Refresher Training sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in Ado-Ekiti.
According to the groups, aside from the wide reach of the media, it has gained the confidence of the people, hence whatever message they pass is generally accepted by the people.
Speaking at the event, the Programme Manager, NTBLCP, Ekiti State, Orojo Joshua Adebayo, urged journalists to carry out more reports about TB to pass the right message to their audience.
He urged residents to ensure they submit themselves for tests to know their status.
According to him, tests and treatment for TB are available in all Primary Health Care facilities for free, just as he highlighted the symptoms to include cough beyond two weeks, weight loss, weakness, night sweats, and fever.
Also, the Director of Community and Family Health, Ekiti State Primary Health Live Development Agency, Dr Akintunde Ogunsakin, noted that a huge part of TB patients fail to go for checks despite having free TB treatment.
“We have the facilities but the major challenges are we don’t have those visiting, we need the public to bring to us TB issues, we need the media to motivate the public towards reaching out to us”, he said.
Participants at the programme thanked the organizers and promised to use their platforms to pass the necessary information to people about TB.
