The Kaduna State Ministry of Health says it identified 22,321 tuberculosis cases in 2025, up from 21,557 in 2022, representing a three per cent increase and 102 per cent target achievement.

Permanent Secretary, Dr. Aishatu Abubakar-Sadiq, disclosed this on Tuesday in Kaduna during a press conference to mark the 2026 World Tuberculosis Day with the theme, Yes We Can End TB.

She said the theme reinforced commitments made by global leaders at the United Nations high level meeting on tuberculosis to end the epidemic by 2030 through improved prevention, diagnosis, treatment, financing and stigma reduction.

Abubakar-Sadiq said all identified patients were placed on treatment, achieving 100 per cent enrolment, while the state recorded a 98.7 per cent treatment success rate, surpassing the 97.6 per cent target.

She added that all 732 co-infected patients received antiretroviral therapy and preventive treatment, while 11,325 eligible contacts were placed on tuberculosis preventive treatment to reduce further transmission across communities.

The permanent secretary said 340 facilities conducted outpatient screening, reaching over 454,000 patients, identifying more than 40,000 presumptive cases, and confirming 3,563 tuberculosis cases, all placed on treatment.

She said the state strengthened diagnosis through mobile trucks equipped with GeneXpert machines and digital X-rays, expanding access to hard to reach communities and earning national recognition for resource mobilisation efforts.

According to her, health facilities providing tuberculosis services increased from 298 in 2017 to 1,282 in 2025, covering public and private sectors, with ongoing expansion to improve access and case detection statewide.

She said strategies included active case finding, house to house searches, hospital screening, private sector engagement, nutrition clinic support, free chest X-rays, and integrated services for people living with HIV.

Abubakar-Sadiq said Kaduna has expanded diagnostic capacity with GeneXpert, TB LAMP, TrueNat, LF LAM, and microscopy services across all local government areas, significantly improving detection and response to tuberculosis cases.

She urged residents, organisations and stakeholders to support tuberculosis control efforts, emphasising that early testing for persistent cough is vital, adding that diagnosis and treatment remain free and accessible statewide.(NAN)