Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis/Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA) has urged parents and guardians to bring their children for this year’s Tuberculosis test.
The first phase is targeted at children within the age bracket of 0–5 years with the Executive Chairman of BACATMA, Dr Sani Dambam calling for support in the implementation of the programme during the flag off of the 2024 National Childhood Tuberculosis Testing Week at Kafin Madaki Primary Healthcare Centre.
Mainly administered by USAID, KNCV, Breakthrough Action, and the Institution of Human Virology in Nigeria, the tuberculosis test was developed to combat childhood Tuberculosis among children in the state.
He said that Tuberculosis in children will not present many symptoms and, that is the reason parents, caretakers, and even health workers should know more concerning TB testing in children who he said have free testing and free medication too.
He named some primary symptoms of Tuberculosis as fever, weight loss, coughing that has persisted for two weeks and more, night sweating, among others and stressed that much as there was nothing much could be done to change the climatic situation, people, especially those who have these symptoms should make efforts to ensure that there is free ventilation in dwellings, as well as wearing masks when coughing.
Dr Dambam stated BACATMA’s intention to fight other diseases incapacitating the people of the state and thanked the state government for their cooperation towards the agency.
When delivering their speeches, the participants of the USAID, KNCV, USAID, Breakthrough Action Nigeria and Institute of Human Virology in Nigeria said that it is their responsibility to support the state and the agency in the way the healthcare system should be improved and receive the required attention.
They noted that their core mandate is to support the state on the crusade on TB, HIV/AIDS, malaria, sensitization, and increased healthcare enrolment for women and children in the urban and the rural health institutions.
