The Bauchi State Government has expressed deep concern over the dramatic increase in tuberculosis (TB) cases, revealing that 13,908 infections were recorded in 2024, a significant jump from the 9,332 cases documented in 2023.

Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam, the state’s Commissioner for Health, disclosed these figures during a press conference held to commemorate World Tuberculosis Day. 

He stated that 12,092 patients have been registered for drug-susceptible TB treatment.

“We have seen a worrying rise in TB cases this year,” Dr Dambam said, represented by Dr Sulaiman Ningi, Director of Medical Services at the ministry.

“Our detection target for 2024 was 18,696 cases, and we have achieved 65% of this through active case notification.”

Despite the surge in cases, the state has recorded a high treatment success rate. “Out of the 9,069 new TB cases detected and registered for treatment in 2024, approximately 3,989 have been successfully treated, resulting in a remarkable 99.1% Treatment Success Rate (TSR) by the end of the year,” Dr Dambam noted.

To address the growing TB burden, the government has expanded its treatment and diagnostic capacity. “Bauchi now has 800 free TB treatment centres, 131 Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) testing centres, 18 GeneXpert machines, 12 Truenat machines, and nine TB-LAMP machines,” he revealed. 

“All 20 local government areas are equipped with at least one of the latest molecular diagnostic machines for TB detection.”

Dr Adamu Sambo, Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Agencies for the Control of Tuberculosis and Malaria (BACATMA), attributed the rise in cases to economic hardship and increased testing. “More testing means we are detecting more cases,” he explained.

Health experts at the event emphasised the critical need for sustained efforts in raising awareness, promoting early detection, and ensuring treatment adherence to curb the spread of TB in Bauchi State.

They stressed that a multi-faceted approach, including community engagement and improved healthcare access, is essential to combat the rising TB burden.