- Nigeria’s first in Africa, sixth in the world, accounts for 4.6% of global TB burden
By Hassan John
Stop Tuberculosis (TB) Partnership Nigeria has disclosed that TB is often more severe in children less than 15 years old and with higher mortality among children less than 5 years.
The group disclosed this in Abuja, on Wednesday. It further expressed concern that the notification of children with active disease and latent TB has remained abysmally low, accounting for just 6% (out of the country’s total of 450,000) of all forms of notified TB cases in 2021.
The Stop TB Partnership Nigeria also noted that out of the estimated country total of 77,000 cases, only about 11% of children with TB disease were notified in 2021 by the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP).
While calling for improved domestic funding for TB by government at all levels, the Stop TB Partnership Nigeria regretted that a considerable percentage of the funds for the fight against the disease is donor-driven.
“Of the $373 million needed for TB control in Nigeria in the year 2020, only 31% was available to all the implementers of TB control activities in Nigeria (7% domestic and 24% donor funds), with a 69% funding gap.
“The 7% domestic contribution is mainly for personnel,” the group said.
The group revealed that Nigeria has a high triple burden of TB, Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) and HIV-associated TB, and is one of the 10 countries that contribute the highest number of missing TB cases globally.
According to the Stop TB Partnership, Nigeria also ranks first in Africa and sixth in the world, accounting for about 4.6% of the global TB burden.
“An estimated 15 Nigerians die each hour due to TB, equivalent to about 347 deaths daily, 10,417 monthly and 125,000 in a year.
“Nigeria’s TB incidence rate is about 219 in a 100,000 population with an estimated total of 467,000 persons who have active TB disease. In 2021, the National TB, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Program (NTBLCP) notified 207,785 having a gap of 56% of the estimated cases unidentified.
“In 2021 about 2,975 DR-TB cases were diagnosed out of an estimated 21,000 cases in the country, leaving out more than 80% of the resistant cases missing.
“Whereas Directly Observed Treatment short course (DOTs) clinics for TB treatment and care are available in up to 50% of health facilities in Nigeria, only 9% of these have facilities for laboratory diagnosis of TB infection and disease,” the group said.
Commenting on the theme of the 2023 World TB Day which is “Yes! We Can End TB,” the Stop TB Partnership said that it brings attention to TB and that it is “in our collective power to end TB by 2030 and therefore reach the SDG goals.
“Stakeholders decided to choose a theme that brings hope and builds on the amazing work done in 2022 by many TB High Burden Countries to recover from the impact of COVID epidemic and to ensure access to new diagnostics, new treatment regimens, digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) for the TB response.”
