The National Childhood TB Testing Week in Showers Foundation Supported States.
According to NTBLCP, One Nigerian dies every 5 minutes of Tuberculosis. The Burden of TB in Nigeria is high and at least 23 percent of the death burden in Africa is TB-related. The 2nd National childhood tuberculosis testing week took place from May to June 2024. This week was dedicated to diagnosing tuberculosis in children from the ages of 0-14 years.
National Childhood TB testing week explained
The National childhood Tuberculosis testing week is annual week long event which aims to raise awareness about the importance of testing children for TB. This week-long event provides an opportunity for parents, caregivers and health workers and the general public to come together and learn more on TB.
By Participating in this event, Individuals can be enlightened on the myths surrounding Tuberculosis, especially in children, Individuals can learn the necessary techniques in joining the war to stop TB in Nigeria.
Community Outreach
Showers Foundation participated in the National Childhood Tuberculosis testing week. In the states where we work, Showers Foundation fostered community outreaches and campaigns on Tuberculosis, its dangers and effects on the body especially as regards Children.
We were at various schools and handled health talks, the students were educated on the myths, infection, diagnosis,, and treatment of TB.
some of the schools and communities that were visited are, Good Shepherd primary/secondary school, Bethel Primary School, Awada Primary School, Christ the King College Imo State, amongst many others.
The Students had an Interactive session with our facilitators and were open to asking questions which helped clear the doubts they had on TB for a long time, one of the major questions asked in some of the outreaches were 1. The Mode of Infection, 2. The similarity between TB and viral diseases like Corona virus and the Ebola virus.
The Teachers were not left out as well, everyone had a wonderful time getting educated by our facilitators for the World Childhood Tuberculosis testing week.
Our Facilitators for the National Childhood Tb Testing week
Owing to the fact that the foundation would be talking to children mostly from the ages of 0-14 years, we had to take care in selecting seasoned, facilitators who have a history of excellent service delivery in TB related fields, who have a history being fluent in child tutorage and who have been proven expert communicators especially in local dialects and in English.
among the faciliators for the child hood TB testing week was the Founder of the foundation, an erudite public health officer and a strong pillar in the field of TB in Nigeria, Mrs Ifunanya Okonkwo, and Okonkwo Kasopuru Israel one of the best chemical pathologists in Nigeria.
Untreated Childhood TB
Generally one infected person can infect at least 10-15 persons more in the community, a child/adult with untreated Tb is a huge risk to the community. Aside being a huge risk to the community the child poses a huge risk to himself as well.
TB progresses in the human body up until it gets to the advanced stage where it results in death. However before that stage of death, there are other conditions that make untreated TB a huge risk, some of these conditions include; TB affecting the growth of the child, TB could also get into the brain and most times results in palsy, the most common manifestaion of TB in Children is the growth of lymph nodes in the body.
Support from Partners for the 2024 National Childhood TB testing week.
Showers Foundation had support from TB partners around the globe to ensure the success of the national Child hood TB Testing week in the states where we function, Partners like the center for clinical care and research nigeria (CCCRN), CARITAS, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, (NTBLCP) National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program
