The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for stronger partnerships to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) in the country.
She made the call while declaring open the 2024 National TB Conference held in Abuja, with the theme “Public-Private Partnership and Integrated Service Delivery: Panacea to End TB in Nigeria.”
Mrs. Tinubu who commended the efforts of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for their dedication to tackling TB pointed out the devastating impact of the disease.
She cited the World Health Organization’s 2024 Global TB Report, which shows that Nigeria recorded 467,000 TB cases in 2023, making it the highest in Africa and sixth globally.
The First Lady who applauded the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, development partners, and other stakeholders for their efforts in improving TB detection and treatment revealed that funds donated earlier in the year have been used to procure additional diagnostic tools to enhance TB case detection.
“This conference provides a unique platform to share ideas and renew our commitment to ending TB in Nigeria. Together, we can make a difference.
In a remark, The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, emphasized Nigeria’s pivotal role in the global fight against TB, and said the launch of the Private Sector TB Strategy in July this year was a significant step towards achieving national and global TB targets.
“Health is a unifying force that transcends regional and socioeconomic differences. It is central to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu’s administration, and we remain committed to leveraging it for national development.
In her welcome address, the Acting Board Chair of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr. Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo, noted that while Nigeria has achieved a 24% decline in TB incidence rates between 2015 and 2023, several challenges including funding gap, low public awareness, stigma and discrimination, limited access to healthcare, and weak public-private collaboration still remain major issues.
Dr. Ogbuji-Ladipo who therefore emphasized the need for integrated service delivery models to ensure equitable access to TB prevention and treatment called for innovative strategies to address barriers to care, particularly for marginalized populations.
Our Correspondent reports that, the 2024 National TB Conference attended by key stakeholders, policymakers, and development partners is expected to yield actionable strategies to accelerate progress towards a TB-free Nigeria.
