Improving TB case notification and treatment coverage through data use.

Background: This was a study on national TB data.

Objective: To assess improvement in TB case notification and treatment coverage through improved data use for action in Nigeria.

Design: We analysed pre- and post-intervention secondary TB programme data comprising data on increased supervisory visits, incentives for health workers, DOTS expansion, outreaches and geo-code monitoring. Trend analysis was performed using Cochran-Armitage χ test for linear trends.

Results: Case-finding increased from 104,904 cases in 2017 to 138,591 in 2020. There was an increase of 2.0% from 2017 to 2018, 13.0% in 2018 to 2019 and 15.0% in 2019 to 2020 ( < 0.001). Facility DOTS coverage increased from 7,389 facilities in 2017 to 17,699 in 2020. There was an increase of 30.0% in 2018, 31.0% in 2019 and 40.0% in 2020 ( < 0.001). The number of reporting facilities increased from 5,854 in 2017 to 12,775 in 2020. Compared with 2017, there were an increase of 20.0% in 2018, 38.0% in 2019 and 32.0% in 2020 ( < 0.001). Treatment coverage rate increased from 24% in 2018 to 27% in 2019 and 30% in 2020.

Conclusion: TB service expansion, improved monitoring and the use of data for decision making are key in increasing TB treatment coverage.