U.S. Aid Cuts Threaten Vital TB Treatment Services in Nigeria

The reduction in U.S. aid is intensifying Nigeria’s tuberculosis funding crisis, risking vital TB services. The need for $404 million in 2025 remains unmet, with significant funding gaps already evident. International donors primarily fund Nigeria’s TB response with domestic contributions notably low, emphasizing the urgent need for increased local investment and advocacy to combat TB effectively.

The recent reduction of U.S. aid is worsening Nigeria’s tuberculosis (TB) funding crisis, casting doubt on the sustainability of essential TB case-finding and treatment services. In 2025, Nigeria needs $404 million for TB programs to avert disruptions, as a $5 million funding gap has already emerged this year due to the aid cut. The Global Fund has a mere $89 million allocated for 2025, reducing to $16 million for 2026, severely threatening the continuity of services.

Despite ambitious goals to treat 499,000 Nigerians in 2024, only 418,000 have been placed on treatment so far, impacting the resources intended for 2025. This has led to the premature depletion of some TB drug supplies. Nevertheless, Mr. Tajudeen Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of the Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund, reassured that while TB activities in 18 states have been affected by the U.S. cuts, services in other regions continue unaffected, funded primarily by the Global Fund.

International donors primarily support Nigeria’s TB response, as domestic funding remains minimal, fluctuating between 6 and 8 percent from 2018 to 2023. Conversely, international support has ranged from 16 to 32 percent during the same period, leaving a persistent funding shortfall that reached 70 percent in 2023.

According to the Federal Ministry of Health, around 50 percent of the country’s health facilities administer TB treatment, and only 48 percent of local government areas possess GeneXpert MTB/RIF machines for diagnosis. TB remains a significant public health challenge, with the 2024 WHO Global TB Report designating Nigeria as the leading country in Africa and the sixth globally in TB burden. In 2023, the country documented 499,000 new TB cases and constituted 20 percent of Africa’s TB burden, resulting in 71,000 deaths.

Noteworthy progress in TB detection has been reported, with Nigeria achieving a record TB notification rate of over 400,000 cases in 2024. TB case identification, particularly among children, has surged from 8,293 cases in 2018 to 43,000 reported in 2024. However, Dr. Godwin Ntadom, Director of Public Health, acknowledged a significant number of undiagnosed cases contributing to community transmission and highlighted the risks posed by drug-resistant TB, which sees low enrollment in treatment programs.

The observance of World Tuberculosis Day (WTD) on March 24 aims to raise awareness and mobilize resources against TB, with this year’s theme being “YES! WE CAN END TB – COMMIT. INVEST. DELIVER.” Dr. Ntadom articulated alignment with the Federal Ministry of Health’s strategy and reiterated the critical need for increased domestic funding to fulfill WHO End TB targets.

The Stop TB Partnership Nigeria has echoed calls for heightened domestic investment, urging policymakers, private sector stakeholders, and civil society to bolster advocacy for resources as donor support declines. Dr. Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo, Acting Board Chair of the Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, stressed the urgency of enhancing advocacy efforts to ensure sustainable TB prevention and treatment services.

“As we all know, in light of the dwindling donor support, we need to intensify our advocacy for domestic resources for TB now more than ever.” – Dr. Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo

The ongoing cut in U.S. aid poses a significant challenge to Nigeria’s TB treatment efforts, highlighting the urgent need for alternative funding sources to sustain essential services. Despite recent achievements in TB case detection, the increasing funding gaps and reliance on international donations underscore the critical importance of domestic investments. The call for enhanced advocacy and commitment from various stakeholders is crucial for successfully combating tuberculosis in Nigeria.

Original Source: leadership.ng