By Gabriel Olawale

NO fewer than 8.000 Tuberculosis patients have obtained care and treatment support at the TB/DOTS Centre of St. Kizito Clinic, Lagos, over the last 10 years. Disclosing this recently, management of the hospital said of this number over 1,200 patients were treated successfully since the Centre was established in 2005.

Master Barry Joel Adefusika, winner of the baby picture competition on Facebook, organised by Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, to mark its 12th anniversary. Poses with Clinic Manager, Nordica Lagos, Mrs Tola Ajayi (carrying the winner) and his mother Yetunde, (left). Barry and his family won an all-expenses-paid trip to Ghana on the 29th of May – 1st of June, 2015.To emerge winner out of 133 contestants, Barry garnered a total of 2753 likes.

The effort was recognised by the Lagos state Ministry of health, which formally designated the Clinic as a TB/DOTS site operating under FMOH/NTBLCP guidelines of Nigeria.  Nigeria is among countries with a high burden of Tuberculosis. Over 10 percent of the national TB burden is reported by Lagos State which has the highest burden of TB in Nigeria.

Speaking on the feat, General Manager Loving Gaze, Barbara Pepoli, said through St Kizito Clinics in Jakande, Lekki; Idi-Araba, Mushin and Oreta with support from Chevron Nigeria Limited, the  hospital has remained the only comprehensive TB/DOTS unit with experienced and trained health personnel and laboratory facilities.

Pepoli said with Chevron support, the hospital has acquired the Blood Chemistry auto analyzer – a critical improvement to services rendered to St Kizito Clinic TB patients  because it allows complete screening of data sets of blood cells, both qualitative and quantitative.  “Prevalence of other illnesses that sustain TB is a public health emergency.

Tuberculosis thrives in immune compromised patients such as those with diabetes and other chronic illnesses like HIV as well as malnutrition and in old age. Diagnosis and subsequent treatment of such illnesses is vital in TB patient care. “We are grateful to Chevron because this equipment will strengthen diagnosis, treatment and follow up of patients with complications from TB and or TB associated diseases.

On his part, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, CNL, Deji Haastrup, explained the donation is in line with the NNPC/Chevron Joint Ventures Tradition of Care, which includes a robust health programme as part of its Corporate Responsibility obligations. The company views healthcare as a crucial social service that is at the core of its success as business, he added.