FG confirms record 400,000 TB cases in 2024

The federal government has confirmed that Nigeria recorded its highest-ever tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2024, with over 400,000 infections identified across the country.

Godwin Ntadom, director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this on Tuesday at a pre-World Tuberculosis (TB) Day press briefing in Abuja.

World TB Day, observed annually on 24th March, aims to raise awareness about TB, highlight progress in eradication efforts, and mobilise resources for further action. This year’s theme, ‘Yes! We Can End TB – Commit. Invest. Deliver’, underscores the urgency of tackling the disease.

According to the 2024 World Health Organisation (WHO) Global TB Report, Nigeria ranks first in Africa and sixth globally among the 30 high-burden TB countries. Ntadom noted that TB remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria, exacerbated by poverty, malnutrition, overcrowded living conditions, and limited access to healthcare services. However, the country has made significant strides in TB case detection and treatment.

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“In 2024, Nigeria recorded its highest-ever TB notification, with more than 400,000 cases identified out of an estimated 506,000 infections. This translates to about 79% treatment coverage, which is commendable. He also highlighted a significant increase in TB notification among children, rising from 8,293 in 2018 to approximately 43,000 in 2024”, he said.

Despite these achievements, Ntadom expressed concerns that a substantial number of TB cases remain undetected, fuelling further transmission. He said one untreated TB patient can infect up to 15 people in a year, warning that drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) cases remain a major concern, with suboptimal treatment enrolment over the past five years.

To address these challenges, Ntadom assured that the federal government is intensifying efforts to strengthen TB screening, diagnosis, treatment, and preventive services across the country. He said government is expanding TB screening, diagnosis, and treatment services in both public and private healthcare facilities to align with Nigeria’s universal health coverage agenda.