By Victor Akhidenor
To address persistent delays in community-level diagnosis, the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer, and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) has commenced the nationwide rollout of over 1,000 PlusLife Mini Dock diagnostic platforms to primary healthcare centres.
Announced by the Director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Charles Nzelu, and the Acting National Coordinator of the NTBLCP, Dr Clement Adesigbin, the initiative aims to bring high-precision molecular testing directly to hard-to-reach populations.
Major developments from the rollout include:
Near-Point-of-Care Technology: The ultra-portable PlusLife platforms allow health personnel to run rapid molecular tests in rural primary healthcare centres, cutting diagnostic turnaround times from days to hours.
Digital Integration: The diagnostic platforms are being linked to a national electronic reporting system to track case numbers in real-time and prevent stockouts of essential anti-TB medications.
Service Expansion: More than 25,000 health facilities across Nigeria now offer basic TB services, with expanded integration between HIV and TB clinical tracking.
NTBLCP officials noted that while Nigeria ranks sixth globally and first in Africa for TB burden—with an estimated annual incidence of 219 cases per 100,000 people—decentralised diagnostic technology and community-led case-finding remain the country’s strongest strategy for elimination.