NIAMEY, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Niger recorded 17,406 tuberculosis cases in 2025, including 13,607 new pulmonary ones, the most contagious form of the disease, Public Health Minister Colonel-Major Garba Hakimi has said.
Speaking in a radio and television address Monday marking the World Tuberculosis Day on Tuesday, Hakimi cited a World Health Organization report that tuberculosis remains the world's deadliest infectious disease, with 10.7 million infections and over 1.23 million deaths in 2024.
He said that ending the epidemic in Niger is achievable through sustained commitment, increased funding, and stronger efforts in prevention, screening, treatment and care.
Niger has implemented a national multisectoral accountability framework for tuberculosis control, helping improve screening coverage from 60 percent in 2021 to 87 percent in 2025. ■