The Commissioner for Health in Taraba, Dr. Innocent Vakkai, says Nigeria ranks first with Tuberculosis (TB) burden in Africa and sixth globally.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Vakkai made this known during the World Tuberculosis Day in Jalingo on Tuesday.
He said 18 Nigerians die hourly from TB, while 49 develop active TB, seven of which are children, according to the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation’s report.
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He lamented that 4,000 people die of TB daily and 300,000 fall ill from preventable and curable diseases.
“TB remains one of the World’s deadliest infectious killers responsible for the death of at least 4,000 people each day and close to 300,000 infections,” he said.
Vakkai said that Taraba government had shown impressive support toward ending TB through provision of human resources, good working environment for the state team and partners.
He implored the citizenry to collectively support the World Health Organisation in its fight against TB.
