The Executive Secretary of the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) of the Global Fund, Ibrahim Tajudeen, has said that the funding cut by the United States government is already impacting TB case finding in 18 states.
Ibrahim explained that the US government contributes $22 million annually to TB case finding in these states, adding that the reduction in funding is now affecting case detection efforts.
Speaking at a pre-World TB Day press conference yesterday in Abuja, Ibrahim noted that the impact of the US executive order has affected case detection activities in these 18 states, with an estimated funding shortfall of $5 million between January and March 2025. The USAID’s annual support to TB programmes is $22 million.
He said, “The US government contributes $22 million annually to case finding in 18 states. So those 18 states are now affected following the US President’s pronouncement.”
Ibrahim revealed that about $404 million is required to deliver TB services in Nigeria this year, adding that the Global Fund has allocated $89 million for TB response in 2025, based on a grant signed in January 2024.
He stated, “In 2026, the Global Fund has only $16 million available on paper. Looking at the allocation, you can imagine the implications of not having enough funding for the TB program. In 2024, we estimated that 499,000 Nigerians needed to be identified and placed on treatment, and we were able to reach 418,000.
READ ALSO: Power Oil’s Life-Saving Mission: How Every Bottle Supports Heart Health
“The 418,000 cases we treated have already stretched the Global Fund resources for this year because some of the drugs required for 2025 were used in 2024. This has automatically reduced the quantity of drugs available for 2025. If we don’t have adequate funding, it will affect other aspects of the TB response.”
In her opening remarks, the Acting Board Chair of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr. Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo, emphasized the urgent need to mobilize domestic resources for TB control in light of declining donor support.
Ogbuji-Ladipo lamented that Nigeria remains one of the highest-burden TB countries globally, with tuberculosis continuing to be a significant public health challenge, claiming thousands of lives each year.
She noted that TB is ranked 10th among the leading causes of death worldwide, following conditions such as ischemic heart disease, COVID-19, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
According to her, beyond non-communicable diseases ravaging countries and communities, TB remains the leading infectious disease killer.
She further explained that one untreated case of tuberculosis can infect 12 to 15 other people in a year, adding that cases left untreated serve as reservoirs for ongoing TB transmission in communities.
The Board Chair observed that despite advancements in diagnostics, treatment, and prevention, TB remains persistent, particularly affecting vulnerable and underserved populations.
She commended the federal government for injecting additional funds into the TB response.
