Zamfara lacks TB medication say patients

Patients have reported a lack of tuberculosis drugs in Zamfara in Nigeria, despite claims the country's test centres are stocked with them.

All 66 tuberculosis test centres across 14 local government areas have TB medication, state TB and leprosy control officer Dr Ibrahim Bature told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Tuberculosis is highly infectious with each person with the disease estimated to pass the illness on to between 10-15 others by coughing or sneezing every year.

World Health Organization data shows every country with TB has reported resistance to the only medication available.

According to This Day Online, Dr Bature said all 220 cases recorded in the state over the last three months were being treated.

However, patients told NAN anonymously they were directed to chemists for drugs in the city.

NAN quoted a source as saying that there were probably at least three cases every week in state hospitals.

Patients were urged to "come out en masse for the test to fight the disease" by Dr Bature.

News brought to you by Global Health TV, covering the issues of health in the developing world.