Assessing the capacity of primary health care centres to provide tuberculosis services in Kaduna State, North-Western Nigeria

Background: Despite earlier successes achieved in combating it, cases of tuberculosis in Nigeria are now on the increase, affecting more people and communities. Primary health care in Nigeria is through ward health system, designed to provide minimum health package to the communities including TB services. This study aimed to ascertain the capacity of PHC centres to provide TB services in Kaduna North senatorial district, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Methods: Four out of eight local Government areas in the district were randomly selected and one PHC per ward was recruited in the study. In each facility, questionnaires developed from the TB tracer items of the WHO service availability and readiness assessment tool were administered to the facility in-charges and TB/DOTS focal persons. Results: Forty four facilities were selected from Zaria, Sabon Gari, Makarfi and Kudan LGAs. Almost all facilities (98%) diagnosed TB clinically and 39 (90%) had anti-TB drugs available. National TB guidelines were lacking in 23 (52%) facilities and only 5 (11%) had additional capacity for sputum microscopy. While 35 (80%) TB/DOTS focal persons had received training on TB diagnosis and treatment, only 24 (55%)received training on TB/HIV co-infection and only 8 (18%) received training on multi-drug resistant TB. Conclusions: While TB services are widely available in the district, urgent need exists for all stakeholders to work together towards equipping those facilities with critical infrastructure that will improve their overall capacity, particularly with regards to comprehensive TB guidelines, laboratory diagnosis and personnel training for effective TB management.