Nigeria is closing tuberculosis detection gaps, expanding access to testing and treatment, and strengthening services for vulnerable populations with the technical support from the World Health Organisation.

According to the UN health agency, Nigeria’s experience shows that progress is possible when government leadership is reinforced by WHO technical support.

Sustained commitment, investment and collective action remain essential to detect every case, complete treatment and end tuberculosis as a public health threat, it said.

WHO, in a statement, stated that the impact of support to Nigeria has been visible in some states and cases supported, citing a case of a 21‑year‑old Gwamkat Rifkatu (name changed) in Nasarawa.

According to WHO, Ms Rifkatu developed a persistent cough that her family initially dismissed as minor, and weeks passed without improvement, leaving her weak and unable to work.

During a visit to a friend, she heard a radio jingle part of a WHO‑supported awareness campaign urging anyone with a cough lasting more than two weeks to seek testing. The next morning, she went to the nearest primary health centre.

Her sputum sample was tested using GeneXpert, a rapid testing tool that has been scaled up nationwide with WHO technical guidance and partner support.

Within two hours, she was diagnosed with TB and immediately started treatment under Nigeria’s national programme.

Health workers, trained through WHO‑supported initiatives, screened her household and provided preventive therapy to those at risk. Months later, Gwamkat recovered and returned to work.

Her experience reflected broader progress.

Across Nigeria, more people are now being reached with testing and treatment, contributing to increased case detection, including among women and children who are often missed.

TB is preventable and treatable, yet it continues to cause significant illness and death globally. In 2024, an estimated 1.23 million died.

In Nigeria, the burden remains high. The 2025 WHO Global TB Report estimated that about 510,000 new cases occur annually, including 61,000 in children. One untreated TB case can infect 12–15 people in a year.

In 2025, a total of 458, 534 TB cases were reported, reflecting improved case detection nationwide. Of these, 57 per cent (262 058) were male, and 43 per cent (196 476) were female.

Children aged 0–14 years accounted for 10 per cent (46,952) of all notified TB cases.

Among these childhood cases, 56 per cent  (26,173) were male, and 44 per cent (20,779) were female, underscoring the need to strengthen paediatric TB detection and services.

The global efforts have saved an estimated 83 million lives since 2000.

The UN health agency stated that Nigeria’s response is led by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme, with support from WHO, the Global Fund and partners.

Case detection has improved significantly. In 2018, 106,533 TB cases were reported. By 2025, notifications rose to 458,534, with more than 80 per cent of estimated cases detected.

(NAN)