Nigeria’s Plateau State Logs 11,000 TB Cases as Drug Supply Falters
(MENAFN) Nigeria’s north-central Plateau State is grappling with an estimated 11,000 tuberculosis (TB) cases this year, with just 2,047 patients detected and started on treatment between July and September, a state health official said.
Yohanna Bot, monitoring and evaluation officer of the state tuberculosis program, released the figures Sunday evening at a media-focused advocacy meeting in the state capital, Jos. In a statement shared with a Turkish news agency, he said the estimate rests on a prevalence rate of 219 cases per 100,000 people, and that patients already identified are being treated at health facilities across the state.
Bot pointed to airborne transmission, overcrowding, malnutrition and weakened immune systems as the main drivers of the disease’s spread. Children under 5, older people and people living with HIV face the greatest risk, he noted.
Stigma and misconceptions are also keeping some residents away from timely care, he warned. Some people, he said, still blame TB on spiritual or ritual causes.
Violence and displacement have further hampered case detection and treatment, particularly in Mangu, Jos South and Barkin Ladi local government areas, where attacks have driven residents into camps for internally displaced persons. To catch cases earlier, health workers are prioritizing community outreach and active screening in those camps and in correctional centers, Bot said.
He also flagged shortages of anti-TB medicines, blaming supply-chain disruptions and heavy dependence on international funding, particularly from the Global Fund.
Nigeria remains among the world’s high-burden TB countries. The disease is preventable and curable, but late diagnosis, limited access to treatment and social stigma continue to undermine efforts to contain it.
Yohanna Bot, monitoring and evaluation officer of the state tuberculosis program, released the figures Sunday evening at a media-focused advocacy meeting in the state capital, Jos. In a statement shared with a Turkish news agency, he said the estimate rests on a prevalence rate of 219 cases per 100,000 people, and that patients already identified are being treated at health facilities across the state.
Bot pointed to airborne transmission, overcrowding, malnutrition and weakened immune systems as the main drivers of the disease’s spread. Children under 5, older people and people living with HIV face the greatest risk, he noted.
Stigma and misconceptions are also keeping some residents away from timely care, he warned. Some people, he said, still blame TB on spiritual or ritual causes.
Violence and displacement have further hampered case detection and treatment, particularly in Mangu, Jos South and Barkin Ladi local government areas, where attacks have driven residents into camps for internally displaced persons. To catch cases earlier, health workers are prioritizing community outreach and active screening in those camps and in correctional centers, Bot said.
He also flagged shortages of anti-TB medicines, blaming supply-chain disruptions and heavy dependence on international funding, particularly from the Global Fund.
Nigeria remains among the world’s high-burden TB countries. The disease is preventable and curable, but late diagnosis, limited access to treatment and social stigma continue to undermine efforts to contain it.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment