Nigeria’s Firstlady calls for sustained investment, renewed focus in fight against tuberculosis

By Kunle Sanni

Nigeria’s Firstlady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has called for sustained investment, innovative strategies, and a renewed focus in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria.

Speaking at the 2024 National TB Conference held in Abuja on Tuesday, Mrs Tinubu acknowledged the progress made in diagnosing and treating TB but stressed that much more needs to be done.

The First Lady, however, decried the global burden of TB which remains highly alarming particularly in low and middle income countries.

“Despite these challenges, I am encouraged by the progress that has been made so far,” she stated in a statement by Busola Kukoyi, her Media aide.

“Thanks to the commitment of the Tinubu administration, civil society organizations, healthcare providers, and international partners. Subsequently, we have seen a steady increase in the number of people diagnosed and treated for TB”.

“However, as we celebrate our successes, we must also acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. We cannot afford to be complacent, and I assure you that the Federal Government, remains fully committed to achieving the global TB targets by 2035″, said the Firstlady.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 also reveals that Nigeria recorded approximately 467,000 TB cases in 2023.

Tuberculosis is still a leading cause of death in Nigeria. The country ranks as the sixth highest burden country across the world and first in Africa.