Tinubu’s wife emerges Global TB Champion

• Donates N1b to end scourge by 2030
• Kaduna records improvement in case detection

Probably for her optimism about eradicating Tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria in 2030, for which she donated N1 billion as support, the Global Stop TB Partnership, Geneva, has inaugurated the wife of President Bola Tinubu, Oluremi, as the Global and National TB Champion.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Government has recorded an improvement in TB detection, with the cases of patients in the state standing at 32,297 in 2023.

Speaking at her investiture as the Global and National TB Champion, yesterday, in Abuja, Mrs Tinubu stated that ending TB by 2030 is not impossible with the active support and commitment of all stakeholders.

She noted that following the 2023 political declaration and adoption of the commitment by the United Nations General Assembly, her husband “is fully committed to the fight against TB” and achieving the goals outlined in the political declaration.

According to her, Nigeria has made remarkable progress in the fight against TB and is still not relenting in its efforts to eradicate TB, even before 2030.

The First Lady called on the private sector and all well-meaning Nigerians to assist in the fight, describing the conferment of her as the Global TB Champion as a global call to action.

Executive Director of Global Stop TB Partnership, Lucicia Ditiu, said “though Nigeria has a huge burden of TB, it is not a shame or problem,” considering the big ambition to end the scourge with amazing achievements recorded.

Ditiu noted that Nigeria used to have about 70 per cent missing cases of TB, but in 2023, it had 70 per cent TB notification.

Acting Board Chair, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo, observed that TB had continued to be a major public health concern, claiming far too many lives each year, particularly in Nigeria, adding that despite advancements in medicine and healthcare, TB remained a formidable adversary, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and underserved communities.

DISCLOSING the improvement, yesterday, the Kaduna government also explained that the risk of spreading the disease has been reduced with medical control measures.

The Commissioner for Health, Umma Kaltume-Ahmed, made this known at a briefing to mark World Tuberculosis Day in Kaduna.

According to her, TB case detection in the state increased from 21,557 cases in 2022 to 32,297 in 2023, which represents an increase of 49.8 per cent compared to 2022, adding that the rate represents 159 per cent of the state’s TB case detection target.

Kaltume-Ahmed explained that the development showed a significant improvement in case finding compared to 53 per cent obtained in 2022, and reflected the improved support the State’s TB Programme received from the state government and development partners.