In a bid to promote prevention and treatment of childhood Tuberculosis, Ogun State government has underscored the need for increased efforts towards ensuring early detection and treatment of the disease among children.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health Dr. Kayode Oladehinde, said this during the flag-off ceremony of the 2024 National Childhood Tuberculosis (TB) Week at Primary Health Care Centre, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, noting that addressing the issue of childhood TB and access to quality healthcare services for all remain significant public health concerns in Nigeria

Dr. Oladeinde explained that the event was the beginning of a week-long campaign to raise awareness about the disease, appealing to parents, caregivers, and other stakeholders to actively participate in the campaign and support efforts to eliminate TB in children, to reduce the burden of TB in the state and improve the health and well-being of its youngest residents.

          Speaking, Director, Public Health, Dr. Festus Soyinka, pointed out that children were future generations and all efforts must be geared towards their health, stressing that first vaccination administered to children at birth, known as BCG vaccine, protects against TB in children.

Contributing, Programme Lead, Childhood TB and Contact Investigation, Dr. Adetokunbo Okungbure, informed that parents were primary doctors to their children before any other professional doctor, urging them to be sensitive and attentive to their wards.

On her part, Programme Manager, Mrs. Deborah Olusola, explained that the TB week was to ensure that a childwith symptoms of TB, such as persistent cough, fever, swelling on the neck and sweating at night, was given adequate attention, advising parents and guardians to take their children for TB test whenever these symptoms manifest.

Some nursing mothers, Mrs. Serifat Oyediran and Mrs. Motunrayo Obadimu, appreciated the state government for the awareness programme, promising to enlighten people in their neighbourhood about TB in children.

          The event was attended by health officials, community leaders, nursing mothers and representatives from various organisations working on the control of TB in the state.