World TB Day: WHO Calls For Stronger Domestic Action

As Nigeria joins the global community to mark World Tuberculosis Day (WTD), the World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged decisive leadership, stronger accountability and sustained domestic investment to accelerate the fight against TB in the country.

At a pre-WTD press briefing in Abuja, WHO representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, highlighted the theme for this year’s global commemoration: “Yes! We can end TB: Led by the Federal Ministry of Health, Powered by Communities.”

He said the message underscored the critical need for coordinated action across health, social protection, housing, labor, and education sectors, backed by strong political commitment and accountability.

“Ending TB is possible even in today’s complex environment, but it requires decisive leadership, sustained investment, and strong solidarity,” Dr Ursu said. He also paid tribute to frontline health workers, civil society advocates, and program staff who continue to fight TB across Nigeria.

According to WHO, tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. Globally, over 1.23 million people died from TB in 2024, while nearly 10.7 million fell ill. In Nigeria alone, the 2025 WHO Global TB Report estimates 510,000 new cases each year, including 61,000 children and adolescents aged 0–14.

Despite the heavy burden, Dr. Ursu said there is reason for hope. Nigeria has made significant progress, reporting 405,324 TB cases in 2024, up from 106,533 in 2018, and 335,003 cases in the first three quarters of 2025. Officials expect that about 80% of incident cases will be detected and notified once the full 2025 data is compiled.

However, challenges remain. An estimated 175,000 undetected TB cases continue to fuel transmission, while Multi-Drug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB) and high rates of HIV complicate control efforts.

Dr. Ursu highlighted recent advances, including near point-of-care molecular diagnostics, simplified tongue swab testing, and innovative sputum pooling strategies, which aim to make TB testing faster, easier, and more accessible, especially in resource-limited settings.