Lagos TB Tests Face Backlog as GeneXpert Cartridges Run Short

… ATM Networks urge FG to boost diagnostic supplies, seek Ilera Eko fee waivers for poorest residents

The ATM Networks have called on the Federal Government to prioritise Lagos State in the distribution of tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic materials, warning that shortages of GeneXpert cartridges are delaying sample processing and leaving patients waiting for test results.

The networks also urged the Lagos State Government to expand access to the Ilera Eko health insurance scheme by identifying the poorest residents and waiving registration fees for those unable to afford healthcare costs.

The calls were made during a Lagos State media meeting in Surulere organised under the Global Fund GC7 Integrated Community-Led Monitoring (I-CLM) project, which seeks to improve healthcare delivery and strengthen community accountability in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

The ATM Networks comprise the Civil Society for the Eradication of Tuberculosis in Nigeria, the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWHAN), and the Association of Civil Society Organisations on Malaria, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN).

Speaking at the meeting, Mrs Ifeluwa Aipoh, the state lead of the ATM Networks, acknowledged the Lagos State Government's efforts to enrol vulnerable residents in Ilera Eko but said the scheme remained unaffordable for many poor households.

Aipoh said some residents who managed to register could not sustain their annual payments, forcing them to discontinue their enrolment and potentially exposing them to high out-of-pocket medical expenses.

She said, “We actually want to appreciate Lagos State for the initiative. It's not easy, no matter what, because Lagos has a huge population.”

However, she stressed that even a registration fee of N2,000 could be beyond the reach of some residents, calling for stronger advocacy to ensure the poorest households received coverage without payment.

According to her, the government should strengthen its identification of the poorest residents and introduce targeted support or a complete waiver for those who cannot afford the scheme.

Aipoh noted that although existing interventions were helping some vulnerable people, many others remained outside the safety net because of the cost of enrolment and subsequent annual payments.

On tuberculosis diagnosis, stakeholders raised concerns about the shortage of GeneXpert cartridges, which are essential for processing samples collected from people suspected of having the disease.

They explained that samples were accumulating in some local government areas because facilities lacked sufficient cartridges to conduct the required tests.

The shortage, they said, was placing additional pressure on facilities with available supplies, including referral centres, which also faced limitations in the number of samples they could process.

The stakeholders called on the Federal Government, which oversees the supply of the imported diagnostic materials, to increase allocations to Lagos in line with its population and patient burden.

They argued that the quantities supplied to the state had not adequately reflected the demand for tuberculosis testing, creating gaps in access to timely diagnosis.

The networks also called for the procurement and deployment of additional diagnostic machines, including COBAS systems, to speed up sample analysis and reduce the backlog of pending tests.

They warned that diagnostic delays could undermine efforts to control transmission and increase the risk of complications, particularly among vulnerable people and those living with HIV or other co-existing conditions.

The stakeholders further urged the Federal Government to ensure the prompt release of funds for essential tuberculosis medicines and commodities, warning that interruptions in treatment and diagnosis could threaten progress towards ending the disease as a public health concern.

On health insurance, the State Coordinator of NEPWHAN, Mr Patrick Akpan, said more than 8,000 people living with HIV had been enrolled in Ilera Eko through ongoing interventions involving the Lagos State Government and implementing partners.

Akpan said the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) had also been working with civil society organisations to register indigent and vulnerable residents, including dependants of eligible beneficiaries.

He said the inclusion of dependants could help families access healthcare without the financial burden associated with treating multiple household members.

However, other stakeholders maintained that further interventions were necessary to ensure that people living with tuberculosis and other chronic conditions could access comprehensive care without being forced to choose between treatment and other essential needs.

The Coordinator of ACOMIN, Mrs Bunmi Tejumola, said malaria testing and medication were available free of charge to eligible beneficiaries through an ongoing intervention supported by the Lagos State Government and the World Bank.

She urged residents to take advantage of the services, stressing the importance of proper testing before treatment because not every fever was caused by malaria.

Tejumola said community-based organisations were helping to bridge information gaps by informing residents about available services and encouraging them to seek appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Similarly, Olugbadebo Olawale, the TB Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation focal person at the Lagos State Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, said the state government was expanding awareness of Ilera Eko, including through community sensitisation campaigns.

Olawale said enrolment had been made mandatory for Lagos State civil servants, adding that the government was also taking the campaign to rural communities to encourage residents to register and reduce the financial burden of hospital visits.

He said broader enrolment could help reduce pressure on public hospitals while improving access to consultations, medicines and investigations covered by the scheme.

However, the State Project Officer, Mr Taiwo Adakan said the cost of registration could remain a barrier for residents at the grassroots, urging the state government to consider additional arrangements targeted at the poorest households.

He also reiterated the need for increased federal allocations of tuberculosis diagnostic commodities to Lagos, noting that the state's large population placed considerable pressure on its healthcare facilities.

The ATM Networks said the Integrated Community-Led Monitoring project had recorded improvements in healthcare facilities across Lagos through community advocacy and engagement with relevant authorities.

Among the interventions recorded in the third quarter of 2026 were the donation of an electrophoresis machine to Agarawu Primary Health Centre, essential medicines to Abule Nla PHC, and consumables to Aiyetoro PHC.

The initiative also facilitated the repair of a faulty solar power system at Otto PHC, restored water supply at Ipakodo PHC in Ikorodu, and provided chairs and benches to health facilities in Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island and Ikorodu.

Other interventions included the installation of a toilet sink at Abule Nla PHC and the donation of a CCTV camera to Agarawu PHC.

The networks called on the Federal and Lagos State governments, development partners, private sector organisations and community leaders to increase investment in primary healthcare, strengthen domestic resource mobilisation and remove financial barriers to essential health services.

They also urged stakeholders to intensify efforts against gender-based violence, discrimination and stigma, noting that these problems continued to undermine the health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations.

The organisations said sustained government commitment, adequate funding and stronger partnerships with communities and the media were necessary to ensure that healthcare interventions translated into lasting improvements in people's lives.