Nigeria losing health workers to tuberculosis, says Expert

The Executive Director, Centre for Development and Reproductive Health, Dr Alobu Isaac, has lamented lack of control mechanisms against tuberculosis infection and other airborne diseases in various health facilities across the country.

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Alobu said this in Enugu during a media training on Gender and Human Rights for Tuberculosis Programmes, organised by Grassroots Development and Empowerment Foundation and CDRH, with support from Stop TB Partnership Challenge Facility for Civil Society.

The one-day training themed: “Empowering Women Drives Change, Project for the Promotion of Gender for Transformative and Right-based TB Programme,” involved journalists, on-air personalities, bloggers, and content creators from Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states.

He said the lack of such control measures and negligence in the health facilities have resulted in several health workers losing their lives in the line of duty.

Alobu explained that the measure involved protection of not only health workers and patients, but visitors alike against any infectious disease.

He said, “We’ve actually lost lots of health workers, both in medical and paramedical, due to lack of adequate infection control measures in our hospitals, whether tertiary, secondary or primary.

“We have different components of infection control. Administrative aspects focus on measures by hospital administrators to make sure infection transmission within the hospital is properly contained.

“Some of the administrative measures include putting signages on strategic entrances to indicate directions to various units in the hospital.

“These limit the chances of infectious patients visiting the hospital from spreading the disease before finally settling in their appropriate units to be taken care of.

“Another aspect is personal protective measures. The commonest ones include washing of hands, wearing appropriate protective gadgets, like face or nose masks and hand gloves to reduce chances of getting infected, especially for airborne diseases.

“Again, are the physical or environmental protective measures, like ensuring arrangements of windows. Windows are supposed to be regularly opened for proper and cross ventilation. Anything contrary impedes ventilation and enhances transmission of infectious diseases.

“Use of ultra violet lights in very highly infectious areas like laboratories is yet another component. These lights can kill the pathogens and sterilize the entire environment, making it safe for work.”

Executive Director, GRADE Foundation, Dr. Patrick Amah, had earlier advised the citizenry to always seek medical attention early over symptoms of tuberculosis.

He said the project was aimed at involving more women and girls, who were more prone to being victims of gender and human rights related issues in TB control in aggressive enlightenment through the help of the print, electronic and social media.

He revealed that TB is the third leading cause of death among women of reproductive age, with research indicating negative impacts of stigmatisation and discrimination against women within the family, healthcare facilities and the communities.

He averred that the training programme, with emphasis on women, was targeted at equipping the media to assist in disseminating information about TB for the uninformed to prevent the scourge.

He said, “People die of TB because of ignorance, superstition and late presentation. Some will be blaming it on food poisoning and be going from one spiritual house to another seeking for a solution.

“If you have a cough that persists for two weeks or more, go for a test, that’s what we’re saying. We want to take advantage of the media to disseminate the information to the grassroots.”

Amah said, on TB risk factors, “You have to be conscious of your environment, because TB is an airborne disease, you never can tell when and where it will come from.”

“Everyone should be wise and seek medical care early. There’s also a need to avoid overcrowded places, including joints.”