Michael Olugbode
29 September 2008
Maiduguri — The Chief Medical Director of Borno State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, Dr Mohammed Ghuluze, has lamented the recent ncrease in cases of tuberculosis which he said was as a result of long term neglect of its administration by government and upsurge in the level of poverty in the country.
Speaking to journalists in Maiduguri, the medical experts lamented that while the attention shifted to such ailments as HIV/AIDS, maternal mortality, poliomyelitis and bird flu among others, funds were not released for the administration of tuberculosis.
Gbuluze, who claimed that progress was made in the past in the administration of tuberculosis, said it was discouraging that the ailment has assumed a new dimension because of the failings of government which neglected anti-TB campaigns that resulted in lower awareness of the disease, and hard economy.
The medical practitioner, who lamented suspension of funding of the activities of the advocacy agencies which rendered the efforts made in the past a futility, called on states to fulfill their counterpart contributions to encourage the international agencies.
Gbuluze, who however admitted that no survey has been conducted to determine the prevalence of the disease in the country, noted that there was a low activity concerning the disease unlike before when it was the talk of both government and advocacy organisations in the country.
The doctors while underscoring the seriousness of the disease which affect many parts of the body especially the lung, stressed that it is important that contact should be avoided with infected persons and as much as possible and called on Nigerians to live in well-ventilated rooms because the disease flourishes in an un-ventilated environment.
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