National Health Facility Survey (NHFS) has revealed that only 16.2 per cent of health facilities across Nigeria are providing Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and management services.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the survey was conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with technical support from the World Bank.
The survey found concerning gaps in TB service availability nationwide.
The survey was carried out through a health facility mapping and listing exercise to generate an up-to-date list of all health facilities in Nigeria, with 3,330 facilities randomly sampled across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The report defines TB service availability as the presence and accessibility of medical services for diagnosing, treating, and managing TB within healthcare facilities.
These services are essential for controlling the spread of TB and ensuring proper care for affected individuals.
The report highlighted that among the facilities providing TB services, primary health facilities accounted for 14.7 per cent, while secondary health facilities accounted for 51.6 per cent.
The South-West zone had the highest percentage of facilities providing TB services (20.5 per cent, while the South-East had the lowest 8.9 per cent.
In terms of TB infection control, the survey found that 62.9 per cent of health facilities nationwide offer TB infection control services.
Primary health facilities provided this service at a rate of 62.7 per cent, while secondary facilities reported a higher rate of 64.8 per cent.
“The North-West zone led in TB infection control services with 77.2 per cent, while the South-East had the lowest at 36.8 per cent.
“Additionally, the survey revealed that 27.4 per cent of health facilities nationwide have trained laboratory staff for TB diagnosis.
“On the availability of first-line TB drugs, 57 per cent of health facilities offer them, with primary health facilities providing these drugs at a rate of 56.7 per cent and secondary health facilities at 59.3 per cent.
“The North-East had the highest percentage of health facilities offering first-line TB drugs 62.8 per cent, while the North-West had the lowest 46.5 per cent.”
NAN reports that the 2023 NHFS provides a comprehensive evaluation of the state of healthcare facilities in Nigeria, offering crucial insights into their preparedness and capacity to deliver essential health services.
The survey aims to assist healthcare managers in identifying performance gaps and areas of improvement to enhance service delivery.
It also seeks to assess the quality of care and the readiness of secondary health facilities to better meet the needs of the population. (NAN)
