WHO: NIGERIA NOT DOING ENOUGH TO END TUBERCULOSIS
WHO:
NIGERIA NOT DOING ENOUGH TO END TUBERCULOSIS
WHO said 10 countries, including Nigeria, accounted for 3.6
million people undiagnosed or detected, but not reported.
The
World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised the alarm that more than a quarter
of the world’s population is at risk of developing tuberculosis during their
lifetime.
In its
latest Global Tuberculosis Report, the organisation says this is because there
is little effort, especially by worse-affected countries such as Nigeria, to
prevent the spread of tuberculosis, which it states will potentially affect
about 1.3 billion people.
According
to NAN, the organisation said 10 countries, including Nigeria, accounted for
3.6 million people undiagnosed or detected, but not reported.
The
airborne disease which affects the lungs is one of the global causes of death
and an estimated 10 million people developed tuberculosis in 2017 while the
number of new cases is falling by two per cent annually.
The
report “called for an unprecedented mobilisation of national and international
commitments, and urged political leaders to “take decisive action, building on
recent moves by the leaders of India, the Russian Federation, Rwanda and South
Africa”.
According
to Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, “We have never seen such
high-level political attention and understanding of what the world needs to do
to end TB and drug-resistant TB.
“We
must capitalise on this new momentum and act together to end this terrible
disease.
“It is
unacceptable that millions lose their lives, and many more suffer daily from
this preventable and curable disease.
“We
need to join forces to root out this disease that has a devastating social and
economic impact on those who are ‘left behind’, whose human rights and dignity
are limited, and those who struggle to access care. The time for action is
now."
