As World Tuberculosis Day 2025 approaches, it underscores Nigeria’s urgent need to confront the tuberculosis crisis, given its status as the highest burdened country in Africa for this preventable and treatable disease. The increase in reported cases and high mortality rates emphasize the necessity for improved healthcare infrastructure and resources, along with community awareness efforts. Government commitment and strategic investments are critical to successfully combat TB in Nigeria.
As the global community observes World Tuberculosis Day in 2025, with a theme emphasizing commitment and investment, there is a renewed urgency for Nigerian leaders to confront tuberculosis (TB), which remains the deadliest infectious disease in the world. This annual observance has been in place since 1982, highlighting the dire need for accountability in addressing TB, which devastates millions, leading to significant health, social, and economic consequences.
Tuberculosis is an airborne disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Despite being both preventable and treatable, it ranks among the top ten causes of global mortality. According to KNCV Nigeria, about 10 million individuals develop active TB each year, with approximately 1.1 million being children and 860,000 among people living with HIV. In 2023, an estimated 1.25 million people died from TB worldwide, including 161,000 HIV-positive individuals.
Symptoms of TB include a persistent cough lasting three weeks or more, chest pain, and coughing up blood or sputum. Additional manifestations involve weakness, fatigue, weight loss, reduced appetite, chills, fever, and night sweats. Alarmingly, Nigeria holds the highest TB burden in Africa, with the WHO reporting that 268 people die daily from the disease. The under-reporting of cases exacerbates the transmission risk, with a single undetected case potentially infecting 15 others annually.
In 2023, provisional data indicated over 361,000 reported TB cases in Nigeria, including nine percent among children, marking a 26 percent increase from 2022. Nigeria bears approximately 4.6 percent of the global TB burden, translating to an alarming rate of 15 deaths per hour. This underscores the critical need for action. According to the WHO’s 2019 Global TB Report, Nigeria’s TB detection rate remains insufficient, at only 24 percent, with just 20 percent of health facilities equipped to provide TB services.
Malnutrition, HIV, diabetes, and alcohol use disorder contribute significantly to Nigeria’s TB cases, with 20 percent attributable to malnutrition alone. While antibiotic treatment is available, many citizens are left without care due to drug-resistant TB strains. Moreover, experts indicate a significant funding gap of 69 percent for TB control in Nigeria, hindering effective interventions.
Additional barriers include a lack of awareness about TB, social stigma, insufficient healthcare resources, and limited access to testing and treatment facilities. The WHO notes that children face significant detection challenges due to untrained health workers and insufficient community awareness. To combat this epidemic, government levels must prioritize the revitalization of the health sector to better cater to affected populations.
Both federal and state governments should enhance investments in medical infrastructure and ensure equitable access to healthcare in both urban and rural locales. Furthermore, Nigeria’s National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer, and Leprosy Control Programme, alongside partners like the WHO, must deploy innovative strategies for TB awareness, testing, diagnosis, and treatment across all 36 states.
In conclusion, Nigeria faces a critical challenge in addressing the tuberculosis epidemic, characterized by high mortality rates and under-reporting of cases. With significant funding gaps and systemic health sector weaknesses, it is imperative for government leaders to strengthen healthcare access and invest in TB control measures. Innovations in awareness and treatment strategies will be essential to not only reduce the burden of this disease but also to meet the global targets for ending TB. Effective collaboration with relevant organizations will play a vital role in achieving these objectives.
Original Source: punchng.com
