By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

YENAGOA-AS part of activities to create awareness on the increasing rate of Tuberculosis, the Bayelsa State Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme has flag-off a seven days ‘National Testing Week of Tuberculosis’ in Yenagoa, the State capital.

The Programme Manager, Bayelsa State Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, Dr. Mabel Emudiaga-Ohwerhi in her speech at the flag-off ceremony at Swali Market Complex Yenagoa, on Monday August 1, said this year’s TB Testing Week is the maiden edition and was conceived to promote public enlightenment and awareness about TB as a deadly but curable desease.

She stated that it is imperative for people to be tested to know their status, hence the week-long campaign, noting that testing and treatment are completely free in any public or private health facility.

According to Dr Emudiaga-Ohwerhi, no fewer than one thousand people are expected to be tested during the week-long campaign, adding that the test will be carried out in every public facility in the state beginning with the police stations.

She said, “From the 1st to 7th August is the National Testing Week, this is the maiden edition, it is going on nationwide, but for us in Bayelsa we choose to flag-off at the Swali Market after which we will be going to the police station, and virtually every facility in Bayelsa statae is undergoing this testing.

“We want to create this awareness and let everyone know that Tuberculosis is still with us, yes it is an age long desease but it is still with us. If you are experiencing drenching night sweat, unexplained weight loss, or unexplained fever, if have any of these you visit any health facility, testing is free and treatment is free. We hope to test at least one thousand people this week and we are appealing for people make themselves available for testing.”

There has been concerns on the increasing rate of Tuberculosis in the state, with available records indicating that the state recorded about 824 cases of TB last year and using the precedence rate of 2019 infections per 1,000 population, there are over 5,000 cases of TB in Bayelsa State.