27 NOVEMBER 2012

A total of 4,413 new cases of tuberculosis were registered in Kano State from Jan. to Sept. this year, Dr Tijjani Hussain, the coordinator of Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme in the state, has said.

Hussain said in an interview with news-men in Kano yesterday that the number of TB cases has been on the increase since 2003.

According to him, the number of registered cases jumped from 2,236 patients in 2003 to 6,090 in 2011.

The coordinator, however, assured that the figure was not frightening as it was below the "20,000 new TB cases expected to be discovered yearly in the state."

Hussain said so far, 50,701 tuberculosis patients have been diagnosed and put on treatment in the past nine years across the state.

On measures to control the prevalence of the disease, the coordinator said the agency was providing free testing and treatment as well as enlightening members of the public on ways to avoid the disease.

"We also intensify diagnosis of HIV clients because they have higher pre-disposition of becoming infected with tuberculosis. In 2003, we had only five general hospitals providing free TB treatment to patients, but at the moment, we have about 218 centres comprising of dispensaries and other facilities across the state providing these services," he added
.