The Federal Government has dismissed the belief that tuberculosis (TB) is caused by spiritual forces, emphasizing that the disease is curable.  

It also reaffirmed that TB screening and treatment are free at government-owned health facilities.  

Dr. Urhioke Ochuko, Deputy Director of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, stated this on Saturday during a roadshow and awareness walk in Abuja to mark World TB Day. The event was themed *“Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, and Deliver.”*  

World TB Day, observed annually on March 24, aims to raise awareness and mobilize political commitment, resources, and healthcare financing to eliminate TB.  

Ochuko explained that the awareness walk was designed to encourage Abuja residents to seek medical attention if they experience persistent cough, chest pain, weakness, weight loss, night sweats, or other TB symptoms.  

He stressed that TB is both preventable and curable, underscoring the importance of early detection and treatment to halt its spread.

“The whole essence of this exercise is to get people around, people within the marketplace, the areas where we’ve moved through, to be able to know that TB is still with us, and for them to get the right message. If anyone is coughing for two weeks or more, has a fever that has lasted for more than two weeks, or is losing weight unintentionally, they should seek care at the nearest hospital closer to them so that they can be tested.

“If they are found to have TB, they will be treated for free. So the whole essence is to say that TB is still with us. It is not caused by superstition; it is not caused by spiritual forces; it is caused by germs that can be cured.”

He noted that while Nigeria has made significant progress in the fight against TB, there is a need for more effort to target undiagnosed TB cases, especially those in underserved areas.

He said, “We’ve made good progress in terms of the fight against TB because, in recent years, we’ve been able to improve TB case notification. Last year, we were able to enrol over 400,000 Nigerians on TB treatment out of about 500,000 estimated to have the disease.

“The government has deployed digital X-ray machines to health facilities and communities across the country to enhance prompt screening and diagnosis of TB.

“With the government’s renewed commitment and collective effort, Nigeria is working towards a TB-free future,” he stated.