FCT Celebrates 94% TB Treatment Success Rate Amid National Detection Surge

In a powerful display of community-led healthcare, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) marked World Tuberculosis Day 2026 with a message of cautious optimism: while the disease remains a formidable global threat, local efforts are saving more lives than ever before.

During a massive outreach in the Mabushi community on Saturday, health officials revealed that the FCT now records approximately 16,000 cases of Tuberculosis (TB) annually, but the success rate for those entering treatment has climbed to an impressive 94 percent.

This milestone suggests that the “silent killer” is finally being outpaced by strengthened surveillance and a community-centered approach to care.

Dr. Dan Gasama, Director of Public Health for the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat (FCT-HSES), shared that TB mortality has plummeted by 64 percent over recent years.

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However, he reminded the gathered residents and partners including the Stop TB Partnership Nigeria and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) that the fight is far from over.

Globally, over 10 million people fall ill with TB each year, claiming over a million lives, including 150,000 among those living with HIV. Nigeria continues to be a high-burden nation, and the FCT’s 16,000 annual cases are part of a larger national picture where 467,000 cases were detected in 2025 the highest number ever recorded in the country’s history.

Rather than a sign of a worsening epidemic, officials view these record-breaking detection numbers as a victory for surveillance. Dr. Gasama explained that the FCT identified over 40,000 presumptive cases in 2025 alone, successfully confirming and notifying nearly 3,700 of them.

This “hunt for the missing cases” is the cornerstone of the 2026 strategy, which focuses on bringing screening and treatment services directly to high-burden neighborhoods. At the Mabushi outreach, hundreds of residents received free screenings for TB, malaria, and other ailments, with severe cases referred immediately to hospitals for specialized care.

Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the TB Network echoed the sentiment that ending the epidemic is now a tangible goal. Dr. Jenny Momoh, representing the WHO FCT State Coordinator, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to a multisectoral response that “leaves no one behind.”

Meanwhile, Mrs. Teresa Jatau of the TB Network urged Nigerians to shed the stigma associated with the disease and embrace early testing. Under the 2026 theme, “Yes, we can. We can end TB,” the message from Abuja was clear: through sustained investment and community vigilance, the disease that once seemed invincible is finally being brought under control.