The Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Initiative has said its tuberculosis, leprosy and HIV interventions reached millions of Nigerians across several states, contributing to improved disease detection, treatment and social inclusion among vulnerable populations.
The organisation disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abuja, where it presented progress made in community health, rehabilitation, disability inclusion and disease control programmes.
Speaking at the briefing, the Communication and Media Officer and Spokesperson of LTR Nigeria, Saleh Farouq Gagarawa, said approximately 1.69 million people were reached through community-based tuberculosis interventions between 2024 and the first quarter of 2026.
He added that more than 1.58 million people were screened for tuberculosis through outreach activities and house-to-house case searches, while over 2.28 million individuals were screened through Public-Private Mix facilities and community networks.
According to him, the interventions led to the successful enrolment of more than 50,000 tuberculosis patients on treatment, while about 450 drug-resistant tuberculosis patients received transportation support, adherence monitoring and follow-up services.
Gagarawa also highlighted achievements in leprosy control, revealing that 2,092 new leprosy patients were identified and enrolled on multidrug therapy between 2021 and 2024 under the Ready4PEP Project.
He said 31,620 contacts were screened for leprosy, while 29,070 eligible contacts received Single Dose Rifampicin Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, helping to reduce the risk of transmission in affected communities.
The spokesperson noted that the organisation trained 1,456 health workers in leprosy diagnosis, management and prevention and provided SkinApp technology training to an additional 2,203 health workers for the identification of leprosy and other neglected tropical skin diseases.
He said LTR also strengthened rehabilitation and disability prevention efforts through 56 self-care groups supporting nearly 600 persons affected by leprosy.
On HIV interventions, Gagarawa said approximately 432 HIV-positive individuals were identified and linked to treatment services, while about 500 HIV-positive pregnant women were supported through referral systems aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission.
He added that beyond disease control, the organisation had continued to promote stigma reduction, rehabilitation, disability inclusion and community engagement through various projects and partnerships.
While acknowledging persistent challenges such as stigma, poverty, inadequate access to rehabilitation services and health workforce shortages, Gagarawa reaffirmed LTR's commitment to supporting vulnerable populations and strengthening community health systems.
He called for sustained collaboration among government agencies, development partners, healthcare workers, civil society organisations and communities to accelerate progress towards a healthier and more inclusive Nigeria.