The federal government has expanded tuberculosis (TB) services to 3,000 additional health facilities across the country, bringing the total number of Directly Observed Therapy, Short-Course (DOTS) centres to 25,000 nationwide.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the ministerial briefing to commemorate World TB Day.

The event was organised by Stop TB Partnership Nigeria in collaboration with the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) and other partners.

Represented by Dr Nse Akpan, Director of Port Health Services, Pate emphasised that achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) remains central to the ministry’s mission to end the TB epidemic in Nigeria.

Pate noted that as of 2023, 56% of the health facilities in Nigeria provided DOTS services. With the ongoing expansion efforts, the government aims to increase coverage to 62% by the end of 2025, ensuring greater access to TB care.

The minister highlighted that eradicating TB remains a top priority, and the NTBLCP, in collaboration with partners, has implemented several impactful interventions.

In 2024, the ministry secured a $50 million bond to support TB control efforts, with the private sector contributing 50% of the amount.

Uzoma Nwofor, Senior Communications Manager at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), stressed that TB’s persistence in Nigeria is deeply linked to poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, and inadequate access to healthcare.

Despite TB services being free, high out-of-pocket expenses discourage many from seeking timely diagnosis and treatment. “Targeted interventions must address both the medical and structural drivers of TB,” she added.

World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, represented by Dr Mya Ngon, urged the Nigerian government to establish a dedicated, fully funded TB budget, especially in light of the USAID funding freeze.

He emphasized that financial insecurity worsens TB outcomes, with 71% of TB patients and their households experiencing catastrophic costs, including lost income and transport expenses.

Ensuring adequate funding and an uninterrupted supply of TB commodities is essential to reducing the burden on affected communities and achieving Nigeria’s TB elimination goals.