In 2023, Ogun State recorded over 6,000 cases of tuberculosis, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of at least 300 patients.
The Senior Programme Officer of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, Ms Florinda Olawusi, disclosed this in Abeokuta, while speaking with newsmen at the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day.
Olawusi expressed concern over a 100% rise from 2019, adding that according to data from the IHVN and USAID TB-LON 3 project for Ogun State, 3000 cases were recorded in 2019.
She noted that 95% of the patients were already placed on treatment.
She said: “Since the inception of the TB long 3 project in Ogun State which started in 2019, Ogun State was diagnosing a little over 3,000 cases annually but presently, from 2019 till now, for example, last year in 12 months, they were able to diagnose over 6,000 cases which is a huge increment. It is over a 100% increase in the number of cases diagnosed.
“The treatment lasts for six months. So, what that means is that after six months, once the duration of the treatment is complete, the patient leaves the program. As of last year, we were able to identify 6,000 cases and 95% of them were placed on treatment.”
Responding to questions on the number of deaths, she said: “There have been some TB-related deaths in the past year, a little over 300 patients died from TB-related causes last year in Ogun state.”
