The University of Port Harcourt Teaching hospital, and her international partners like Kncv have consistently maintained commitment in patient care for tuberculosis treatment. The third week of August 2023 was earmarked national tuberculosis texting week to raise awareness and encourage patients to access treatment which is free.

Community health physicians in the hospital joined their counterpart in the state and across the nation to celebrate this year’s National tuberculosis testing week.

Physicians (Doctors) , nurses, voluntary health workers in the out patient clinics encouraged patients to get to text following a checklist of symptoms which patients present at each clinical access point.

This process is on going all through the year but an intensive awareness campaign to comemorate the national week. A talk with a volunteer staff from KNCV (non-profit organization for TB treatment partnering with UPTH) Precious Uwakwo, says procedure for texting is simple, patients are simply asked to Cough into a container after which it will be labelled and taken to the laboratory for testing and if positive, treatment will commence immediately. While UPTH provide the expertise, the partnering donor agency like kncv makes provision for drugs and investigation coverage.

Tuberculosis is air born, especially transmitted in congested environment and a terminal disease, however with early diagnosis and presentation for treatment chances of survival is high. This National program is raising awareness in all primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions across the country.