Benue state government and the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Nigeria, a non governmental organization, has flagged off a KNCV clinic also known as “Wellness on Wheels,” WoW truck services, for the treatment of Tuberculosis in the state.
The clinic was launched at Internally Displaced Person’s, IDP, Daudu camp 3, Guma local government area of the state.
Speaking, Governor Samuel Ortom said the clinic was part of government’s commitment to ensure safe health for the citizens.
Ortom who was represented by his Deputy, Benson Abounu, commended KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Nigeria for bringing health services to the people.
He promised that his administration will ensure that the programme succeeds.
The governor also urged the people to take advantage of the free tuberculosis services and to report any person who is found with symptoms to enable the government curtail the spread of the disease.
Earlier, the Executive Director of KNCV foundation, Berthrand Odume, said his organization funded by United States Agency for International Development, USAID, Nigeria, is presently working in 14 states of the federation, supporting TB work and in seven other states supporting Covid 19 vaccination projects.
Odume noted that Nigeria tops the list on TB burden in Africa and is number six in the world with a whole lot of people within the community having TB but unaware of their status.
He also lamented that those who are in the know shy away from accessing medical education on grounds of stigmatization.
“If you really want to find about 49 percent of missing TB cases in Nigeria, the efforts should be focused in the communities,” Odume said saying there was need to bring all hands on deck to fight the disease.
The state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Joseph Ngbea, who expressed joy that the clinic will go a long way in eradicating TB in the state assured that the services will go beyond Guma to the hinterland to ensure that more people are tested and treated without charges.
The Ter Guma represented by Mue Ter Ihyarev, Guma local government, Chief Augustine Shionyi appreciated Governor Ortom and KNCV for identifying his community and people to benefit from the service and pledged the support of traditional rulers to the project.
The chairman, Daudu Camp 3, Godwin Maor, thanked state government and the organization for acknowledging their plight with regards to health challenges saying he will continue to encourage his people to avail themselves for treatment.
The WoW truck tuberculosis services encompasses a digital chest ex-ray machine to detect possible signs of the disease, gene expert machine which facilitates results of specimen within two hours, a portable digital ex-ray machine for non motor able roads as well as bio safety cabinet to protect the person operating it.