Kaduna, May 16, 2026 The North West Zonal Coordinator of the Tuberculosis Network Nigeria, Isah Dansallah, has expressed concern over an impending shortage of anti-tuberculosis drugs, diagnostic tools and other essential treatment supplies in the country.
Dansallah raised the alarm in an interview in Kaduna, warning that existing stocks of TB commodities could be completely depleted by June if urgent intervention measures are not taken by relevant authorities.
He cautioned that without swift action from federal and state governments, Nigeria’s tuberculosis response system risks severe disruption due to funding gaps and shortages of essential medicines.
According to him, emergency financial support and the activation of contingency funding mechanisms, including the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), are needed to address outstanding counterpart funding obligations and release blocked donor-supported supplies.
He described the situation as a looming public health emergency that could reverse gains made over the years in the fight against tuberculosis, one of the country’s most persistent infectious diseases.
Dansallah warned that thousands of patients currently receiving TB treatment could face interruptions if the supply gap is not urgently addressed, increasing the risk of drug-resistant infections.
He also called for accelerated procurement procedures to ensure the timely purchase of anti-TB drugs and diagnostic materials before the projected stock depletion.
In addition, he proposed the creation of a national TB emergency coordination platform involving the Federal Ministry of Health, the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme, donor agencies, implementing partners and civil society organisations to improve response efforts and distribution of supplies.
He noted that drug-resistant tuberculosis is significantly more difficult and costly to treat, with serious long-term implications for public health and the economy.
Dansallah urged key government officials, including the Minister of Health, the Budget Office, the Office of the Accountant-General and relevant parliamentary committees, to urgently declare the situation a national health emergency and act within two weeks.
He stressed that budgetary provisions must be effectively implemented to ensure lifesaving medicines reach health facilities nationwide, warning that delays could lead to preventable deaths and a rise in drug-resistant TB cases.
He added that the country could not afford bureaucratic delays in responding to the crisis, saying urgent and decisive action was needed to protect lives.