How Do Private Providers Unaffiliated With the Nigeria National TB Program Diagnose and Treat Drug-Susceptible TB Patients? A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

A majority of Nigerians seek TB care from the private sector, yet private providers who are not affiliated with the National TB Program (NTP) do not receive training on guidelines for diagnosis and treatment.n Nearly 40% of private unaffiliated providers we surveyed self-reported using acid-fast bacilli for TB diagnosis. However, a much larger percentage used 5 other TB testing approaches not approved by the NTP to make a definitive diagnosis. n Only 32.4% of providers surveyed prescribed the correct drug regimens. Five of the treatment regimens reported in our study contained streptomycin, which is against NTP recommendation.