TB: Nigeria Still Battling Huge Funding Gap, Poverty, Malnutrition

Stakeholders and partners in Tuberculosis control in Nigeria have identified some challenges that the country needs to address to curb Tb in Nigeria.

The Head of Childhood TB unit at the NTBLCP, Dr Ochuko Urhioke, highlighted some of these challenges during a presentation, ”Overview of Tuberculosis Burden in Nigeria,” at the 2025, pre-world TB day news conference in Abuja.

Dr Ochuko Urhioke said the challenges include a huge funding gap, Poverty and, malnutrition which he said are driving the epidemic.

Others according to him, are Suboptimal case finding for adults and children, Suboptimal coverage of health facilities with TB services and high catastrophic cost incurred by TB patients.

The Head of Childhood TB unit, expressed disappointment that the global community is still battling with the scourge of TB  a disease discovered 143 years ago, that so many thought was extinct but still sending many into extinction.

According to him, ”One person with TB can infect 12-15 other persons annually, and when the person with TB, Coughs, Sneezes, Sing and talk.”

While analyzing the progress Nigeria had made so far, Dr Urhioke said about 50% of health facilities in Nigeria provide TB treatment services, while 48% of LGAs have GeneXpert MTB/RIF machines.

He stressed the need for the media to raise awareness about TB advocate for more funding, sensitize line ministries, department and agencies to support TB control in Nigeria.

The Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Godwin Ntadom said government would launch a multi-sectoral accountability Framework for TB (MAF-TB) control in Nigeria.

Dr. Ntadom noted that stakeholders have explored the use of digital tools, mobile technology, and artificial intelligence to enhance surveillance, case management, and adherence to TB treatment.

He said the present administration in collaboration with other stakeholders was committed to further raise awareness and drive home initiatives that would focus on prevention, treatment to end the menace in Nigeria.

Also, the Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDs, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Amobi Oga who said Nigeria government remains committed towards ensuring that one of the leading causes of death in Nigeria was reduced to the bearest minimum pledged effective legislations that would increase domestic funding.

Earlier, the Acting Board Chair, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr. Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo explained the pathetic situation of losing at least a TB patient every 7 minutes daily.

Also, the Executive Director Stop TB Nigeria Mr. Mayowa Joel, who highlighted purpose for the World TB day explained that despite the progress made in the fight against the disease it had been estimated that 12 percent of the global burden is affecting the most vulnerable in the society, mostly children and adolescents.

Other stakeholders at the event urged the media to effectively collaborate by disseminating rightful information that would FastTrack winning the war against the disease.