Hajia Zainab Nasare Nasir Idris, the First Lady of Kebbi State, has commissioned a drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment centre in Argungu Local Government Area.
As the TB Champion in Kebbi State, Mrs. Idris emphasized the centre’s role in treating patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis using modern facilities.
” Lots of lives were lost to curable diseases such as tuberculosis. With this treatment centre now in use, many lives that could be lost due to inadequate or mundane treatment will now be saved through active drugs that work effectively on patients who are resistant to drugs,” Mrs. Idris said.
The centre aims to curb the spread of TB and provide free treatment to patients, particularly those resistant to normal drugs. Mrs. Idris stressed the importance of discouraging stigmatization against people living with tuberculosis, noting that there is a permanent cure for the disease.
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Dr. Bello Umar Tambuwal, Representative of the Federal Ministry of Health, praised Mrs. Idris’s efforts, saying, “For over eight years, Kebbi State has been clamoring for a TB centre. It is a welcome development that it has been established now to meet the growing demands of drug-resistant patients.”
He attributed the successful treatment of 100 children diagnosed with tuberculosis during the centre’s buildup to Mrs. Idris’s efforts.
“The centre is for patients with acute tuberculosis who have reached a severe stage due to drug resistance. Once they are admitted, they will get cured,” Dr. Tambuwal added.
The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Yunusa Musa Ismail, thanked the First Lady for her interventions in the health ministry and announced the state government’s increase in doctors’ salaries to match those in tertiary health institutions.
“We thank the First Lady for standing to ensure the TB centre is put to use. Now, all TB patients will no longer be taken to Sokoto or anywhere because we have it,” Alhaji Ismail said.
The commissioning was attended by prominent figures, including women groups and top government functionaries. This development is a significant step towards eradicating TB in Kebbi State, building on Mrs. Idris’s previous efforts as TB Champion