World Tuberculosis Day: Foundation Calls on Government to Strengthen Healthcare System

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has urged all levels of government to prioritize tuberculosis prevention and treatment by strengthening the healthcare system.

Steve Aborisade, the Advocacy and Marketing Manager of AHF Nigeria, made this appeal in a statement marking World Tuberculosis Day on Monday.

In the statement, Aborisade also called on the government to address the funding gap that continues to hinder progress in the fight against tuberculosis in Nigeria.

The organization highlighted the devastating global impact of the disease, citing World Health Organization statistics that revealed tuberculosis claimed 1.25 million lives in 2023, while 11 million people fell ill with tuberculosis during the same year.

Aborisade stated that the organization is joining partners worldwide in advocating for stronger political commitments, increased funding, and expanded access to tuberculosis services.

As part of its efforts to combat the devastating effects of the disease, he announced that AHF Nigeria would be raising awareness today across its seven state programs—Abuja, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Kogi, and Nasarawa.

The awareness campaign, he noted, would emphasize that tuberculosis remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, and a significant contributor to deaths related to antimicrobial resistance.

The statement read in parts, “TB claimed 1.25 million lives in 2023, according to the World Health Organisation.

“While global TB incidence has declined, progress is too slow to meet international targets. An estimated nearly 11 million people fell ill with TB in 2023, with more than 80% of cases and deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

“At least $22 billion is needed annually for TB prevention and treatment, yet global funding remains significantly short of this goal. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis remains a public health crisis, with only about two in five people with drug-resistant TB receiving treatment in 2023.”