The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, has announced that 15,000 residents have been diagnosed with tuberculosis this year.

However, data indicates that 32,000 individuals in Lagos are living with the disease, resulting in 17,000 cases remaining undetected.

Mr. Abayomi made this announcement on Tuesday during the investiture of Champions and Ambassadors of the Lagos Steering Committee for TB, which is chaired by Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the wife of the Lagos governor.

He stated, “According to statistics from the Federal Government, there should be 32,000 Lagosians with tuberculosis that we need to identify. This year, we have only managed to diagnose about 15,000 when we compile all our figures.

“Ladies, this means that there are currently 17,000 individuals in Lagos who are living with tuberculosis and have not yet been diagnosed. This is the first point I want you to grasp; there are people in our community who have active TB that we have not identified.”

As of March, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that Nigeria has the highest burden of tuberculosis in Africa.

The organization noted that with 268 individuals succumbing to the disease daily, TB cases are significantly under-reported, which heightens the risk of transmission. It is estimated that one undetected case can spread TB to 15 individuals within a year.

“The gap in case detection is particularly pronounced among children, primarily due to some health workers at both facility and community levels lacking the necessary skills to identify childhood TB, as well as a general lack of awareness among families and communities. Additionally, TB services are not fully integrated into routine children’s health services, such as nutrition and immunization programs,” it highlighted.

Provisional data indicates that over 361,000 TB cases were reported in Nigeria in 2023, with 9 percent of these cases involving children, reflecting a 26 percent increase compared to 2022.

Female local government chairpersons and the spouses of chairmen have been recognized as champions and ambassadors in the fight against tuberculosis in Lagos State.

“The First Lady has tasked you with identifying and bringing in 15,000 individuals to the treatment facilities, which, as you know, are completely free,” the health commissioner informed the ambassadors.

In her address, Mrs. Sanwo-Olu expressed her joy at the official launch of the program after a five-year wait.

She stated, “I first expressed interest in 2019, and now we are in 2024. While we have implemented numerous programs, I have not been able to fully support the wives of local government chairpersons and the female chairpersons themselves. Therefore, I am truly delighted. All glory and honor go to God for making this possible.”

Cecilia Magbogunje, the Deputy Director and Programme Manager of the Lagos State Steering Committee for Tuberculosis, highlighted the significance of community engagement, noting that the leadership of local government chairpersons’ wives will enhance awareness, mobilize resources, and promote a health-conscious culture.