Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has emphasised the urgent need for sustained investment and innovative strategies to meet global tuberculosis (TB) targets by 2035. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2024 National TB Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Mrs Tinubu highlighted the importance of breaking barriers that hinder access to essential care and fostering collaboration between public and private sectors.
Themed, “Public-Private Partnership and Integrated Service Delivery – Panacea to End TB in Nigeria,” the conference brought together key stakeholders to strategise on combating TB, a disease that remains a leading cause of death in Nigeria. According to the First Lady, the country ranks sixth globally and first in Africa in TB prevalence.
Citing the 2024 WHO Global TB Report, Tinubu said, “Globally, an estimated 10.8 million people developed TB in 2023, with 1.6 million lives lost, and children and young adolescents accounting for 12 percent of the burden.” She further reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving the 2035 global targets, which include a 95 percent reduction in TB deaths, a 90 percent reduction in TB incidence, and the elimination of catastrophic costs for affected households.
“To achieve this, we will require sustained investment, innovative strategies, and a renewed focus on breaking the barriers that prevent people from accessing the care and support they desperately need,” she said.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, in his keynote address, stressed the need for an inclusive, rights-based approach to tackling TB. He noted that the disease disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including women and children, thereby requiring targeted interventions.
Pate highlighted the Private Sector TB Initiative launched in July 2024 as a key strategy. “This initiative, in collaboration with the Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, has mobilized up to $25 million from the private sector to strengthen TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment efforts,” he stated.
He also emphasized the importance of integrating TB control into workplace health programs and expanding health insurance coverage, particularly in industries such as telecommunications, oil and gas, and cement production.
The minister urged state governments to prioritise TB within their health budgets and facilitate collaboration with the Federal Government to ensure progress. He added that the government is leveraging lessons from countries like the Philippines and South Africa to strengthen TB elimination efforts.
Acting Board Chair of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Queen Ogbuji, noted that the conference serves as a platform for sharing innovative ideas and addressing barriers to TB care. She identified funding gaps, stigma, and limited public awareness as key challenges hindering progress.
Ms Ogbuji called for stronger collaboration between public and private sectors to enhance TB control efforts. Similarly, Dr Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of Stop TB Partnership Global, stressed the importance of increased financing to achieve the global TB targets.
“With the commitment of leaders like the First Lady and the Coordinating Minister, alongside the collaboration of other stakeholders, I am confident that Nigeria can lead Africa’s TB elimination efforts,” Ditiu said.
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