The World Health Organisation, KNCV Nigeria, and other experts urged governments at all levels to boost funding for tuberculosis to reach Nigeria’s target of eliminating the disease by 2030.
They made this plea at a press briefing in Abuja before the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day.
They pointed out that the consistently low levels of awareness, especially in rural areas, pose a significant challenge to efforts aimed at dealing with the deadly disease.
TB is an illness caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that often affects the lungs. It is the primary infectious killer disease globally and is also among the top 10 causes of death worldwide.
It is transmitted from person to person through the air.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is sixth among 30 countries globally with the highest burden of the disease.
Nigeria also leads in Africa in the number of undetected cases.
World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24 each year to raise awareness about the impact of the disease.
The 2024 WTBD is themed “Yes, we can end TB” and Nigeria’s slogan is “No gree for TB, check am o.”
At the event, a representative of the WHO, Dr Amos Omoniyi, emphasized that TB is a deadly disease globally, with millions of deaths registered annually.
Omoniyi stated that in 2022, Africa reported approximately 2.4 million cases of TB, with Nigeria accounting for 479,000 cases (19 per cent ).
He revealed that out of the 424,000 TB-related deaths in Africa the same year, 97,900 (23 per cent) occurred in Nigeria.
According to him, one person dies of TB every five minutes in Nigeria despite it being a curable disease.
“It is very sad and painful that people still die from TB every day despite it being a curable disease,” he said.
Omoniyi highlighted that despite having a high burden of the disease, Nigeria still has a 70 per cent funding gap in TB.
“This deadly disease is curable, preventable, and can be eliminated if the government at all levels can invest more in addressing TB,” he said.
Additionally, the Executive Director of KNCV TB Foundation Nigeria, Dr Bethrand Odume, mentioned that the theme signifies the urgent need to unite and intensify the fight against TB to fulfill commitments to end the disease by 2030.
Odume stated that it is a continuation of last year’s World TB Day theme, which draws attention to TB and our collective ability to achieve the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB Political Declaration targets, paving the way to end TB by 2030.
“It brings hope and builds on the amazing work done in 2023 by many TB High Burden Countries and TB Champions around the world who continue to make incredible strides to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to TB treatment and prevention,” he said.
He mentioned that the theme also focuses on the increased involvement of those affected by TB, communities, and civil society who are leading the movement to end this disease.
He mentioned that it also acknowledges progress made in research and development – many new TB diagnosis tools, shorter, more efficient treatment, and preventive regimens, as well as several vaccines in phase three clinical trials.
Odume said the time to speed up all efforts to end TB is now more important than ever before.
“We all must continue the progress we've made in recent years in finding TB cases that were not reported, by increasing proven strategies and continuing to advocate for better funding from the government and the private sector,” he added.
He said KNCV is collaborating with the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, and the state TB programme in the 14 supported states to enhance TB case identification in Nigeria under the USAID-supported TB Local Organisation Network project.
