Currently, Nigeria is ranked fourth among the countries of the world with the highest
burden of tuberculosis (TB) and new perspectives and ways of addressing TB treatment
and control are needed as the disease continues unabated.
New technology, such as geographical information systems, may be useful in this
process. This study therefore focused on identifying geographical areas where on-going
tuberculosis transmission is occurring by linking Geographic Information Systems
technology with tuberculosis diagnosis in communities in Ibadan, Nigeria. Retrospective
data of TB incidence between 2004 and 2007 from the Health centers in Ibadan were
cartographically mapped to show current trends in the spread of the disease and its
geographic dispersion among those infected using ArcGIS 10.1 software, Satscan and
Global Positioning System (GPS).
A total of 5579 cases were detected over the study period. The mean age for the entire
affected population was 27.76 ± 8.46 (SD); 5400 (78.87%) patients were Adults while
179 (21.13%) were youth. The ‘nearest neighbour distance analysis’ indicated a clustered
pattern of locations with Ibadan North West, South East, South West and North East
characterized by overcrowding and poor quality housing conditions having increased
likelihood of on-going transmission. This study therefore provides a preliminary synopsis
of the uses of the Geographical Information Systems in the control of TB in Nigeria.