Assessment of Knowledge and Compliance with Leishmaniasis Reporting Among Clinicians in Sokoto State, North West Nigeria

Accurate and timely disease reporting by clinicians is a cornerstone of infectious disease surveillance, yet leishmaniasis, as an emerging neglected tropical disease in northwestern Nigeria, faces significant under-reporting due to poor clinical recognition, inadequate diagnostic capacity, and weak notification practices. This study assesses clinician knowledge of leishmaniasis and compliance with disease notification protocols in Sokoto State, North West Nigeria. A cross-sectional professional survey was conducted among 180 clinicians including medical officers, resident physicians, and senior nurses from 20 secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities in Sokoto, Illela, and Tambuwal Local Government Areas. A structured knowledge questionnaire assessed clinical recognition of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis presentations, familiarity with the rK39 diagnostic test, knowledge of treatment algorithms, and awareness of mandatory disease notification obligations. Review of the state disease surveillance and notification officer records assessed the frequency of reported leishmaniasis cases from each facility. Evidence from 2020 to 2024 documents near-zero reporting of leishmaniasis cases in Sokoto State despite documented transmission in border communities, suggesting profound under-recognition at the clinical level. This study generates knowledge competency scores by professional cadre and identifies training and reporting infrastructure gaps. Recommendations will be presented to the Sokoto State Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, and WHO Nigeria. Keywords: leishmaniasis reporting, clinician knowledge, disease notification, Sokoto State, surveillance compliance.