Delays in diagnosing tuberculosis, TB, are imposing severe economic and public health consequences on Nigerians, a new report by Saleh Farouq Gagarawa, ANIPR, has revealed.
The report highlights that beyond the medical burden, late TB diagnosis is driving a cycle of financial hardship, reduced productivity, and increased transmission across households and communities.
According to Gagarawa, TB often begins with mild symptoms such as a persistent cough, which are frequently ignored or mismanaged, leading to critical delays before proper diagnosis is made.
He noted that at the household level, such delays quickly evolve into economic shocks, particularly for individuals in informal employment whose income depends on daily physical activity.
“A trader who cannot open their shop, a farmer who cannot tend to their land, or a labourer who cannot work loses income with each passing day without diagnosis,” the report stated.
It added that families often deplete savings while seeking care from multiple informal providers, resulting in repeated out-of-pocket spending without effective treatment.
“As resources shrink, households are forced to make difficult choices. Children may be withdrawn from school, nutrition declines, and the illness becomes more severe,” Gagarawa said, describing the situation as “not just a health burden, but economic erosion.”
The report further warned that delayed diagnosis significantly increases the risk of transmission, as undiagnosed individuals may unknowingly spread TB within their homes and communities.
“What begins as a single untreated case can multiply into several, expanding the cost beyond one household,” it noted.
At the national level, the report said late diagnosis places additional strain on Nigeria’s already burdened health system, as patients presenting late often require more complex and prolonged care.
It also pointed to broader economic implications, noting that widespread undiagnosed TB reduces workforce productivity and contributes to slower economic growth.
“A workforce affected by untreated TB is a workforce operating below capacity,” Gagarawa stated.
The report identified gaps in disease data as another major consequence, explaining that delayed diagnosis leads to underreporting and weakens planning and resource allocation.
“This creates a disconnect between the actual burden of TB and what is officially recorded,” it added.
Field experiences across states including Borno, Yobe, Gombe, and Plateau show that many delays occur before patients reach formal health facilities, often due to stigma, lack of awareness, and financial constraints.
The report emphasised that early intervention at the community level is critical to addressing these gaps.
It highlighted efforts by the Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Nigeria to reduce delays through community-based programmes, including mentorship of informal providers, improved referral systems, and data validation processes.
“These interventions are helping to shorten the time between symptom onset and diagnosis, ensuring patients are quickly linked to care,” the report stated.
Gagarawa stressed that every delay carries significant consequences for individuals, families, and the nation, while early diagnosis offers clear benefits.
“Every day saved protects household income, reduces transmission, lowers treatment complexity, and strengthens the health system,” he said.
He called for a shift in Nigeria’s TB response strategy, urging stakeholders to prioritise early detection as both a health and economic imperative.
“The question is not whether Nigeria can afford to invest in early diagnosis,” he said. “It is whether we can afford not to.”
