An official from the state’s Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program reported 2,047 cases between July and September, with a predicted 11,000 cases of tuberculosis (TB) in Plateau State in 2026.
At the inaugural biannual media-focused advocacy meeting on the Global Fund AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Integrated Community-Led Monitoring (ICLM) Project in Jos, this was revealed by Yohanna Bot, the program’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.
Bot explained that the three-month detection rate was based on a tuberculosis prevalence rate of 219 cases per 100,000 persons, and that all individuals found during that time were treated.
Malnutrition, overcrowding, and a lack of immunity can raise the risk of tuberculosis infection, according to Bot. This is particularly true for children under the age of five and those living with HIV.
Some individuals thought tuberculosis was caused by spiritual or ceremonial aspects; he mentioned that this was one of the myths about the disease that he felt was a big obstacle.
These misconceptions, he said, could discourage individuals from getting medical help when they need it, which would put off diagnosis and treatment.
In locations like Mangu, Jos South, and Barkin Ladi, where TB cases have been reported, “insecurity and displacement have made it difficult for health workers to detect TB cases,” Bot explained.
He went on to say that the risk of transmission could be higher in overcrowded internally displaced person (IDP) camps.
Outreach and active screening at internally displaced person (IDP) camps and correctional centers to discover potential cases of the disease were his program’s top priorities.
Within two weeks of beginning treatment, Bot noted, tuberculosis patients who get the right medicine become non-infectious.
On the other hand, he voiced his worries about anti-TB drug shortages, noting that the program was highly dependent on funding from the Global Fund and that interruptions in the supply chain could lead to gaps in medicine availability.