OSUN, Nigeria – The Osun State Government has identified population movement among migrant miners and incomplete tuberculosis (TB) treatment as factors contributing to the spread of the disease in parts of the state.
The State Programme Manager for Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer, Dr Rotimi Oladele, disclosed this during a community dialogue in Osogbo, according to a statement issued by the Osun State TB Network on Friday. Oladele said some miners who were diagnosed with TB in Atakunmosa West and Atakunmosa East Local Government Areas relocated before starting treatment, raising concerns about continuity of care and the risk of further transmission.
He warned that people with active TB who do not receive or complete appropriate treatment could continue transmitting the infection to others. “The individual will keep spreading the disease anywhere he goes,” he said. The programme manager urged media organisations to support public awareness campaigns and encourage people experiencing symptoms associated with TB to seek medical attention.
He said early diagnosis and adherence to prescribed treatment were important in controlling the disease and preventing further transmission. The Osun State TB Network Coordinator, Joseph Abioye, said the community dialogue was organised to strengthen local responses to drug-resistant tuberculosis through experience-sharing and the identification of practical solutions.
Abioye disclosed that the state regularly harmonised data on suspected TB cases, patients receiving treatment and drug-resistant infections. However, he appealed for additional support from philanthropists, private individuals and other stakeholders to improve assistance for people living with the disease. “We are trying our best, but our best is not enough,” he said.
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