Rising ‘drug resistant TB cases’ threaten Nigeria’s control efforts

The increasing pool of tuberculosis resistant drug in the countryis a major threat to the country’s efforts in controlling the disease.

National coordinator of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, Federal ministry of Health, Dr Adebola Lawanson, disclosed this yesterday during the Pre-World TB day media conference organised by USAID, KNCV and other partners in Abuja.

She said Nigeria was among the six multi resistant TB burden countries globally, and that it is also among the 10 countries that accounted for 75% of the incidence treatment enrolment for drug resistant TB globally.

The national coordinator said it was also worrisome that a large number of TB cases were still undetected or missing.

She said this constitutes a pool of continuous transmission of the disease in the community.

“The country contributes 9% to the global 3.6million missing TB cases after India and Indonesia with 26% and 11% respectively. An estimated 418, 000 new TB cases occurs in Nigeria in 2018 and the country notified 104, 904 ( 25%) and 106, 533 cases of TB in 2017 and 2018 respectively giving a gap of 314, 712 and 319, 599 cases yet to be notified respectively,” she said.

DrLawanson said in line with the TB National Srategic Plan for 20152020 , active case finding among key population including slum dwellers, nomads, internally displaced persons and people living with HIV is being given priority.

While saying that a lot still needed to be done in meeting the global target of controlling the disease by 2035, she said several activities have been lined up by the programme and its partners to mark this year’s World TB Day on March 24.