Dr Rasheed Odunola, the Director, Health Services, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has advised people with Tuberculosis (TB) to avoid sleeping in the same room with their loved ones.

Odunola, who gave this advice while speaking with newsmen at the university on Friday, said this would reduce the chances of infecting other members of the family.

He encouraged TB patients to protect their family, friends and loved ones by staying at home and avoiding sleeping in the same room with others.

The expert explained that it is important to ventilate the room and always use a tissue to cover their mouth anytime they sneeze or cough.

“There is need for them to wear a face mask when around other people, especially during the first three weeks of treatment,” he said.

Odunola also advised on early diagnosis and treatment as the most potent way to curb the spread of TB.

He appealed to the people to immediately visit the hospital for proper diagnosis and treatment once they observe symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, fever, persistent cough, general feeling of fatigue and whenever they are exposed to TB.

“A person may develop this preventable disease after inhaling Mycobacterium tuberculosis which can be spread to others through the air droplets.

”When a person with TB talks, sneezes, coughs, laughs or spits,” he said.

The medical expert also advised cigarette smokers to quit smoking, adding that smoking cigarettes and other forms of smoking increases the risk of developing TB.

He warned that the habit of smoking makes treatment of TB harder.