At a glance
Strong collaborations have provided meaningful progress in tackling the HIV and TB epidemics in Nigeria. Community members play an essential role in raising awareness and eliminating stigma. Read Mary and Adeyemi's stories below.
Over two decades of collaboration
Effective screening for tuberculosis (TB) and tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) can prevent TB infection, including for people living with HIV. TPT is a proven treatment that can prevent TB and reduce TB-related mortality among people living with HIV (PLHIV) by 37%. When taken with antiretroviral therapy (ART), TPT can lower the risk of TB disease for PLHIV. TB remains a public health threat in Nigeria, with an estimated 63 deaths per 100,000 among PLHIV.
CDC has partnered with the Ministries of Health in Nigeria since 2001. Since then, CDC and partners have continued to scale up HIV and TB testing, treatment, and prevention services. In addition to TB surveillance and laboratory services, CDC provides leadership in collaborative efforts to address both diseases.
Strong collaborations have provided meaningful progress in tackling these epidemics in Nigeria, and community members play an essential role.
Everyday advocates
An educator's passion
Mary's mother experienced a difficult pregnancy and, tragically, passed away shortly after giving birth to Mary. Unfortunately, her father was no interested in her care. Mary's older sister, a secondary school student, became her primary provider.
Her sister often brought Mary to school to ensure her care. On such an occasion, a teacher noticed Mary had a severe cough. After several weeks of observation, it became clear to the teacher that Mary's condition was not improving.
The teacher was aware of appointments for clinical assessments at Bowen University Teaching Hospital; a CDC supported facility in Nigeria. On July 30, 2021, when Mary was ten months old, she was diagnosed with TB. Following the diagnosis, the teacher's resolve to help Mary deepened and she attempted to register her at a local orphanage. Unfortunately, Mary was rejected due to her TB diagnosis. This also meant she would not receive the necessary social support.
Knowing Mary needed more than her sister could provide, the teacher began the process of legally adopting Mary. The teacher and her spouse were given TPT to administer to Mary as part of her TB treatment. As of January 2022, Mary had successfully completed her TB medication and is free from TB in her new home.
"I was a shadow of myself, and I thought my life was over."
Adeyemi Babatunde serves an essential role in his community as a fish distributor—a job that depends on his health. When Adeyemi experienced prolonged illness, he visited Bowen University Teaching Hospital, where he was diagnosed with HIV and TB.
"I was a shadow of myself, and I thought my life was over," Adeyemi shared. At the hospital, Adeyemi immediately began ART and TB treatment. However, during his course of treatment, Adeyemi started to feel better and grew tired of the medications. "I thought I was doing fine and got tired of taking all my medications."
Due to incomplete treatment of the TB infection, Adeyemi developed drug-resistant TB. Drug-resistant TB is harder to diagnose and can require up to two years of treatment. Treating it can cost 10-30 times more than non-resistant TB. Because TB is airborne and contagious, the continued spread of drug-resistant TB could threaten the larger community. Proper treatment was paramount for Adeyemi and helped ensure the safety of those around him.
The impact of treatment was not lost on Adeyemi. Now healthy, he advocates for his colleagues to get tested for HIV and TB. Adeyemi has even referred a coworker to the same hospital where he was diagnosed and treated. The colleague was evaluated and diagnosed with TB and is currently on treatment.
Building community partnerships
With CDC's support, APIN Public Health Initiatives (APIN) works with Ministries of Health to strengthen TB and HIV activities in Nigeria. This partnership works to:
- Enhance case worker capacity in TB and HIV programs
- Provide free chest x-ray services to those newly diagnosed with HIV
- Conduct contact tracing of all TB cases
APIN also provides HIV test kits to all presumptive and diagnosed TB cases at supported sites. Services are provided at 37 facilities (17 Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission sites and 20 ART sites) in Oyo, Nigeria. Through the collaborative effort between clinics and community advocates, presumptive TB cases are successfully linked to diagnostic and treatment services.