By Lizzy Carr
The Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Malaria (BACATMA) has reported a major milestone in the fight against tuberculosis (TB).
In 2024, the state detected 13,908 TB cases and registered 12,092 patients with drug-susceptible tuberculosis for treatment, a significant increase from 9,332 cases in 2023.
At a press briefing marking World TB Day 2025 in Bauchi, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Dambam, provided this update.
He emphasized that, with an estimated target of 18,696 TB cases in 2024, Bauchi achieved a commendable 65% performance in TB case notification.
“Out of the 9,069 new TB cases detected and registered for treatment in 2024, approximately 8,989 patients were successfully treated, resulting in an impressive 99.1% treatment success rate by the end of the year,” Dr. Dambam stated.
He further highlighted the state’s ongoing commitment to combating TB, with BACATMA making notable progress in TB control efforts. Currently, Bauchi is home to 800 free TB treatment centers, 131 Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) centers, 18 GeneXpert machines, 12 Truenat machines, and 9 advanced diagnostic machines.
These state-of-the-art machines are used for diagnosing both sensitive TB bacteria and drug-resistant strains.
“It is noteworthy that every local government area in Bauchi has at least one of the latest molecular diagnostic machines for TB,” Dr. Dambam added.
The Executive Chairman of BACATMA, Dr. Adamu Sambo also mentioned that the agency is intensifying its efforts in contact tracking and community-based TB testing to ensure early detection and treatment.
