Tuberculosis patient

By Jessica Onyegbula

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) on Thursday urged health workers to take adequate precaution when attending to patients to prevent transmission of Tuberculosis (TB).

Dr Okpokoro Evaezi, the Research Manager, IHVN, made the call at a sensitisation training of health workers in Abuja.

Evaezi said that the training was aimed at educating health workers and to provide guidance on how they can prevent TB.

He explained TB as a chronic infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis that affects the lungs and other organs.

“The training is part of activities for a TB infection control study titled ‘Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection rates among healthcare workers in HIV clinics in Nigeria.

“In addition, it will be a platform for strengthening TB infection control mechanism, we also plan on developing policies relevant for protecting this limited but crucial work force,” he said.

Evaezi said that the training would take place in 14 health facilities in Abuja and Nasarawa State with a target of 700 health workers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training is ahead of a research study into TB infection rates among healthcare workers.

More than 700 healthcare workers are to be sensitised under the programme.