TB Epidemic in Nigeria: 17,000 Undiagnosed Cases in Lagos State
Nigeria has the highest tuberculosis (TB) burden in Africa, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In Lagos State, the situation is dire, with 32,000 residents living with the disease, leaving 17,000 undiagnosed and untreated. This alarming figure was revealed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, at the investiture of Champions and Ambassadors of the Lagos Steering Committee for TB.
Abayomi disclosed that 15,000 residents have been diagnosed with TB this year, but statistics suggest that there are many more cases that have not been detected. "Ladies, that means that there are 17,000 people in Lagos right now, walking around and living with tuberculosis that have not been diagnosed," he said. "That’s the first point I want you to understand; that there are people living with us in the community who have active TB that we have not diagnosed."
The WHO reported that Nigeria has the highest TB burden in Africa, with 268 people losing their lives every day due to the disease. The organisation noted that TB cases are under-reported, increasing the high risk of transmission. In fact, one missed case can transmit TB to 15 people in a year.
The gap in case detection is mostly among children, due to a lack of awareness among families and communities, as well as insufficient skills among health workers to detect childhood TB. TB services are also not fully integrated into routine children’s health services, such as nutrition and immunization programmes.
To combat the epidemic, female local government chairpersons and wives of chairmen were decorated as champions and ambassadors to combat tuberculosis in Lagos state. The First Lady of Lagos, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, expressed delight at finally launching the programme after five years, stating that leadership from local government chairpersons’ wives will raise awareness, mobilise resources, and foster a culture of health.
According to provisional data, over 361,000 TB cases were reported in Nigeria in 2023, marking a 26 per cent increase in the number of cases compared with 2022. The Lagos State Steering Committee for Tuberculosis is working to address the crisis, with the goal of diagnosing and treating all cases of TB in the state.
The fight against TB requires a concerted effort from government, health workers, and the community. With the launch of this programme, Lagos State is taking a crucial step towards addressing the TB epidemic and saving lives.
