Nigeria missing thousands of TB cases annually… LTR Nigeria
Emmanuel Onuh
AS Nigeria joins the global community to commemorate World Tuberculosis Day 2026, Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Nigeria (LTR) has raised the alarm over thousands of undetected tuberculosis (TB) cases across the country, describing the trend as a “silence” that must be broken.
In a statement released on Tuesday to mark the day, themed: “Yes, We Can End TB: Led by Countries, Powered by People,” the organization noted that TB remains a significant threat in Nigeria due to normalized symptoms and the social stigma attached to the disease.
The Executive Director of LTR, Dr. Tahir Dahiru, stated that the persistence of the disease in Nigeria is not due to a lack of medical solutions, but a failure to reach the most vulnerable populations.
“Tuberculosis persists not because we lack solutions, but because we have not yet reached everyone who needs them. The real battle is not only against the disease, but against distance, stigma, and missed opportunities,” Dahiru said.
He explained that LTR is currently implementing a community-led model in Borno, Yobe, Gombe, and Plateau states. This approach moves away from traditional hospital-based care, instead utilizing traditional birth attendants, community volunteers, and local drug shops to identify and refer cases.
Dahiru added: “Across our fieldwork, we have seen that when communities are trusted and local actors are equipped, the so-called ‘missing cases’ begin to appear. This is how we end TB—not from the top-down, but from the ground up.”
The organization further stressed that ending the epidemic requires more than just clinical intervention, calling for the “dismantling of stigma” which often pushes patients into the shadows.
LTR called on the Federal Government and stakeholders for sustained investment in community-driven approaches and the integration of informal healthcare providers into the national health system.
“Ending TB will not be achieved through policy statements alone. It will be achieved when a woman in a remote community is referred on time and when data is accurate enough to guide real decisions. Every missed case must become unacceptable,” the statement added.
