Nigeria’s Plateau records 11,000 tuberculosis cases in in 2026

Nigeria's north-central Plateau State has recorded an estimated 11,000 tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2026, with 2,047 patients identified and placed on treatment between July and September, a health official said.

Yohanna Bot, monitoring and evaluation officer of the state tuberculosis program, disclosed the figures at a media-focused advocacy meeting in the state capital, Jos on Sunday evening.

Bot, in a statement shared with Anadolu, said the estimated burden was based on a prevalence rate of 219 cases per 100,000 people. He added that identified patients were receiving treatment at health facilities across the state.

He attributed the spread of TB to its airborne transmission, overcrowding, malnutrition and weakened immune systems, noting that children under 5, older people and people living with HIV were particularly vulnerable.

The official also warned that stigma and misconceptions about the disease were preventing some residents from seeking timely medical care.

Some people, he said, still attributed TB to spiritual or ritual causes.

Insecurity and displacement have further complicated efforts to identify and treat cases, particularly in Mangu, Jos South and Barkin Ladi local government areas, where violence has forced residents into internally displaced persons' camps.

Bot said health workers were prioritizing community outreach and active screening in displacement camps and correctional centers to improve early detection.

He also raised concerns about shortages of anti-TB medicines, attributing supply gaps to disruptions in the supply chain and heavy reliance on international funding, particularly support from the Global Fund.

Nigeria remains among the countries with a high burden of tuberculosis globally.

The disease is preventable and curable, but delayed diagnosis, inadequate access to treatment and social stigma continue to pose challenges to controlling its spread.