Nigeria must significantly invest in its diagnostic infrastructure and public health systems to curb the growing cases of tuberculosis (TB) nationwide that’s left thousands dead, says Roberto Taboada, Network Lead of Anglo West Africa at Roche Diagnostics.
In a recent interview with BusinessDay, Taboada acknowledged that while there has been notable progress in combating TB, “there’s still a lot to be done”.
He warned that Nigeria, like other African countries, suffers from “chronic under-investment” in healthcare – particularly in diagnostics infrastructure, public health education and healthcare delivery systems.
“To effectively tackle a health problem like tuberculosis, the first step is establishing a robust diagnostic infrastructure,” Taboada explained.
Taboada further highlighted that many health facilities in Nigeria lack access to basic molecular diagnostic tools, which are essential for early detection and treatment, advocating for more investment in training healthcare professionals, upgrading and modernising laboratory systems and integrating TB diagnostics into broader health platforms.
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Tuberculosis remains a grave public health problem in Africa’s most populous nation. According to the latest Global TB Report, Nigeria ranks as the most affected country in Africa and sixth globally among the 30 highest TB-burden countries. In 2024 alone, Nigeria recorded over 400,000 infections – its highest on record.
Taboada stressed the urgent need for reforms, such as prioritising the decentralisation of diagnostic services to reach vulnerable communities. He also called for the deployment of portable and automated molecular platforms and the establishment of reliable supply chains to ensure consistent access at local clinics and health posts.
“There should be a harmonisation of the national diagnostic guidelines, incorporating integrated service delivery, in line with the WHO recommendations,” he added.
Globally, more than a million people died from TB last year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This number is expected to rise as public health systems face new funding challenges, jeopardising established treatment programmes.
Nigeria currently allocates about 5.2 percent of its national budget to healthcare; a figure experts warn is insufficient to meet the country’s growing health challenges. However, the federal government has committed an additional $200 million to health services in its 2025 budget, a step Taboada welcomed but said must be targeted strategically.
Other African countries like South Africa and Kenya have also raised their health budgets by $1.5 billion and $250 million respectively. Meanwhile, reduced international aid, such as cuts from U.S President Donald Trump, has pressured countries to readjust their health budgets.
Taboada suggested that bridging the funding deficit requires closing what he referred to as the “knowledge action gap”. “We need more political will and more inclusion of TB in the budgetary priorities and vertical funding streams to contribute to strengthening the TB programs,” he said.
He further recommended that Nigeria integrate testing systems to enable shared usage of the existing diagnostic equipment, which would enhance efficiency and unlock additional funding opportunities.
Read also: One Nigerian dies of tuberculosis every 5 minutes — NTBLCP
Emphasising collaboration, The Roche Diagnostic network lead of Anglo West Africa advocated for stronger private public partnerships, stressing that these initiatives must be locally owned and adequately funded to ensure sustainability.
“The private sector and companies like Roche can act as catalyst. We bring expertise and capabilities that can support government efforts,” he stated.
“At Roche, our goal is to strengthen and not replace or substitute the public systems as partners. Our role and approach include capacity building, infrastructure support and co-developing innovations with our partners.”
With tuberculosis still claiming over a million lives globally each year, Taboada urged Nigerian policymakers to see TB as a symptom of broader systemic gaps, and an opportunity to build stronger, more self-reliant health systems for the future.
