TBThe Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, says it has intensified nationwide efforts against tuberculosis, aiming to strengthen detection, treatment, and prevention of the disease across the country.
The initiative has engaged more than 20,000 private healthcare providers across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, offering free TB testing and referral services to expand access for Nigerians.
Dr Temitope Adetiba, Senior Program Manager at IHVN, disclosed the scale-up during a press conference in Abuja, marking the 2026 World TB Day, highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to expanding access to TB services nationwide.
Adetiba explained that the scale-up was part of a multi-year project (2024–2025), building on lessons learned from previous collaborations with Uganda and TB-COVID-19 interventions to strengthen Nigeria’s TB prevention and treatment infrastructure.
“The private sector network extends beyond hospitals, including medicine vendors, pharmacies, laboratories, birth attendants, and traditional healers, trained to identify TB symptoms and refer suspected cases to designated hospitals for treatment,” he said.
He stressed that the National TB Program maintained strict patient follow-up to ensure treatment began promptly after diagnosis, which was critical in breaking transmission chains and reducing tuberculosis prevalence across communities nationwide.
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Addressing past medicine shortages, Adetiba explained that global supply disruptions previously affected TB drug availability, but current measures aimed to improve domestic production and reduced Nigeria’s dependency on imported medicines and supplies.
He emphasized that integrating formal and informal private sector actors expanded TB services coverage, ensuring no patient was left behind in the fight against tuberculosis, which remained a major public health concern nationwide.
Adetiba called for sustained partnerships, stronger community engagement, and integrated service delivery, noting that the 2026 World TB Day theme highlights government leadership and grassroots participation in ending the tuberculosis epidemic.
“Ending TB is ambitious but achievable through coordinated action, community ownership, and partner alignment, requiring strong government leadership, private sector support, and active participation of communities across Nigeria,” he added.
He also noted that TB was closely linked to poverty, poor living conditions, and limited access to healthcare, which made inclusive, community-centered strategies critical for reducing infections and improving health outcomes nationwide.
“IHVN has expanded TB services nationwide, engaging over 3,000 private providers offering free TB and HIV counselling, testing, and prevention services, demonstrating the importance of private sector collaboration in fighting infectious diseases.
“Between 2024 and 2025, the institute screened more than two million pregnant women for TB and HIV, protecting mothers and newborns while strengthening early detection and prevention services across health facilities nationwide.
“Innovative tools, including artificial intelligence for hotspot mapping, mobile digital platforms for screening, and integrated diagnostic systems, have been deployed to improve efficiency, strengthen surveillance, and enhance TB service delivery in Nigeria.”
Adetiba emphasized that communities remained central to Nigeria’s TB response, acting as the engine of detection, treatment, and elimination, without which TB could not be effectively controlled or eradicated nationwide.
She said looking ahead; priorities included service integration, deeper private sector collaboration, local capacity investment, and maintaining a people-centered approach to ensure that TB services remained accessible, effective, and sustainable across the country.
“Nationwide awareness campaigns and community outreaches continue to mark World TB Day, targeting schools, motor parks, and other public spaces, reinforcing education, early detection, and timely treatment to reduce TB prevalence.”
Adetiba expressed optimism that, with sustained collaboration, Nigeria could eliminate TB, reiterating, “Yes, we can end TB, and we will achieve this together through joint action across all levels of society.”
Dr Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo, Acting Board Chair of the Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, highlighted the growing role of the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, and the private sector in mobilizing domestic TB resources nationwide.
Ogbuji-Ladipo said the First Lady had demonstrated leadership as a TB champion, contributing about two billion Naira, which had been deployed across the country to improve access to critical TB services.
She noted that state First Ladies had served as champions in their respective states, driving advocacy, community mobilization, and domestic resource allocation to strengthen TB control at sub-national levels.
She, however, warned that in spite of private contributions, more than 90 per cent of TB funding remained from external sources, emphasizing the urgent need for increased domestic financing to sustain long-term TB control efforts in Nigeria.
Ogbuji-Ladipo stressed that strong policies, leadership, and coordinated action were essential to ensure that no Nigerian was left behind in accessing TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services across all regions.
She commended ongoing efforts by government agencies to drive coordination, aligned stakeholders, and strengthened collaboration between private sector actors and civil society organizations for a more efficient, unified national TB response.
According to her, sustained collaboration, combined with increased domestic funding, will be key to achieving Nigeria’s goal of ending TB, ensuring better health outcomes and improved quality of life for all citizens.
“With continued leadership, coordinated effort, and active community participation, we can strengthen the TB response and achieve lasting results, demonstrating that no Nigerian will be left behind in the fight against tuberculosis,” she said.
NAN
