ABUJA – No fewer than 50,000 Nigerians have tested positive for tuberculosis (TB) in ongoing nationwide screening exercises, but many of those diagnosed are yet to commence treatment due to a critical funding gap, the Global Fund has revealed.
Mr Ibrahim Tajudeen, Executive Secretary of the Global Fund Country Coordination Mechanism (CCM) in Nigeria, disclosed this on Monday at the 11th quarterly meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in Abuja.
Tajudeen noted that while the screenings, supported by government and donor partners, have yielded a significant number of positive TB cases, limited resources have stalled treatment efforts.
“We have successfully screened more than 50,000 people who are TB-positive, but we are unable to begin treatment for many due to limited resources,” he stated.
He added that the funding shortfall stems from constraints in the current Global Fund grant cycle, which has led to the reprioritisation of several key activities.
According to him, the CCM must confirm its alignment with the revised funding allocation by July 14—a deadline that could determine whether the affected individuals will access life-saving treatment.
Tajudeen warned that TB, though preventable and curable, continues to rank among Nigeria’s most serious infectious disease threats. He also highlighted other ongoing health interventions supported by the Global Fund, including:
- Over 25.5 million TB tests conducted using modern diagnostic tools
- Procurement of 370 digital X-ray machines, with several already delivered across states
- Ongoing upgrade of six regional reference laboratories
In the area of malaria prevention, he noted that 16.6 million insecticide-treated nets had been distributed across the country. He also revealed a $95.5 million commitment from donors to support ongoing interventions.
However, he lamented that shortfalls from earlier budget projections have forced the cancellation of critical activities such as drug procurement, staff training, and capital investments.
“Screening alone is not enough; without treatment, we risk fuelling the very epidemic we seek to control,” he warned, urging urgent intervention from the MOC and development partners.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria remains one of the countries with the highest TB burden globally. Experts caution that failing to treat diagnosed individuals could accelerate the spread of the disease and undermine national health targets.
The Global Fund continues to support Nigeria in fighting TB, HIV, and malaria, through provision of medical supplies, diagnostic tools, and funding for health system strengthening.
