Lawyers Alert Releases Report On Human Rights Violations Associated With Tuberculosis

A Non-governmental human rights organization in Nigeria has released a report on Human Rights Violations Associated with Tuberculosis in the country.

The report identified stigma and discrimination as the major challenges faced by persons affected by Tuberculosis in Nigeria.

The comprehensive report of findings by Lawyer Alert indicated that highest recorded violation relates to stigma and discrimination, accounting for 53 percent of incidents.

The Lawyer Alert report, arguably the first in Nigeria, offers an in-depth analysis of the human rights abuses faced by people affected by TB across the country.

The report serves as a crucial resource for advocacy and policy-making, aiming to end stigma and discrimination and improve the quality of TB care and prevention services for Persons Affected by Tuberculosis (PATBs).

Broken Conjugal Rights and disruption of family life account for 43 percent of human rights abuses faced by people affected by TB across the country. Violations in Medical and Health Care ranked third at 6 percent , and Wrongful Social Economic Practices had an insignificant reportage of less than one percent.

This statistic identifies geographic prevalence and underscores for the need for tailored interventions to address right violations to combat and stop the rights violations associated with TB.

The President of Lawyers Alert, Barrister Rommy Mom called on government should encourage community-led initiatives, empowering people affected by TB (PATBs) to document experiences, share insights, and actively participate in decision-making for TB interventions.

Mom said the statistic points towards the challenges faced by persons affected by TB and emphasizes the need for comprehensive approaches in addressing their rights and protection.

The report showsthat the North Central Geopolitical Zone ranked highest at 51 percent, closely followed by the South West Zone at 21 percent. South-South Zone was third at 12 percent, while the North East and North West were next at 6 percent, with South East Zone ranking fourth at 4 percent.

For States with the highest violations, the FCT and Benue topped that chart at 22 percent, closely followed by Lagos State at 12 percent. Enugu, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Kano, Delta, and Edo came third at 4 percent. The states with the least reportage at 2 percent each were Cross River, Ogun, Kaduna, Oyo, Plateau, Ekiti, Gombe, Osun, and Akwa Ibom.

At the LGA level, Abuja Municipal ranked highest at 20 percent, with Guma in Benue State coming second at 14 percent, Alimosho in Lagos State was third at 8 percent, and in fourth place was Bauchi LGA in Bauchi State and Bomadi LGA in Delta at 4 percent. Other LGAs were recorded at 2 percent, respectively.

Mom called on stakeholders to prioritize awareness creation and relevant training for healthcare workers, community members, and the public to reduce TB-related violations.

Lawyers Alert said campaigns should focus on dispelling myths, reducing stigma, and promoting inclusivity in TB prevention and treatment and that there should be policy and legal reforms to protect PATBs’ rights, prohibit discrimination, and enhance access to justice.

The organisation also expressed the need to integrate human rights and gender perspectives into health policies to address determinants exacerbating TB violations.

Mom also called on Civil Society Organisations to develop a joint advocacy plan with strategies to strengthen health systems, ensuring TB services are available, accessible, acceptable and of high quality.

“There should be multisectoral collaboration and a robust framework to track progress, identify gaps, and measure the impact of interventions addressing TB-related human rights violations.

“These recommendations aim to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for persons affected by TB, ultimately contributing to the eradication of stigma, discrimination and all forms of right violations.

Lawyers Alert therefore urges all stakeholders, including government institutions, civil society organizations, and community leaders, to take note of the findings.

“The organization emphasizes the importance of upholding human rights in advancing a right based and people center TB- response. Through this report, we hope to raise awareness on right violations associated with TB and encourage meaningful dialogue among stakeholders.”

Mom said the full report, including detailed analysis and recommendations, can be accessed under the resource page on Lawyers Alert website

About About Lawyers:
Lawyers Alert is a legal and human rights-based organization in Nigeria that works on health rights, particularly TB and works with key populations that includes women, Persons affected by Tuberculosis, Persons living with HIV, slum dwellers, Prisoners, Persons with Disabilities, etc.

Background TB:
Tuberculosis remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, which has one of the highest TB burdens in the world. Despite advances in medical treatment, Persons Affected by TB often face severe human rights violations, including stigma, discrimination, and barriers to accessing care. Lawyers Alert, undertook to document these violations in close collaboration with the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP) and the Lagos State Ministry of Health, to provide a basis of law and policy reforms.
History

The project began in 2023 with the support of Stop TB Partnership, driven by a need to address the intersection of public health approaches to TB and human rights in the TB response. Lawyers Alert engaged with key stakeholders, including healthcare providers, civil society organizations, and TB survivors, to define and map out the indicators of rights violations associated with TB. This collaborative effort laid the groundwork for the comprehensive data collection and analysis that underpins the report.