Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed the nation’s strong commitment to ending tuberculosis (TB) by 2030, emphasizing that the sustainability of the country’s TB response cannot rely solely on external assistance.
Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the 39th Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting in Manila, the Philippines, Mrs. Tinubu highlighted the importance of national ownership, leadership, and community engagement in combating the disease.
“The sustainability of our TB response cannot depend solely on external assistance,” she said. “Through steadfast leadership, community engagement, and strategic national coordination, Nigeria has ensured that the number of people diagnosed and treated for TB in 2025 did not decline even amid reduced donor support.”
The First Lady, who also serves as Nigeria’s Global and National Stop TB Champion, noted that the country is taking deliberate steps to strengthen local health systems and reduce dependence on donor funding. She reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aligns with the global goal to eradicate TB by 2030.
“Health for all begins in our communities,” she said, adding that tuberculosis remains “the world’s biggest infectious killer,” claiming about 1.3 million lives annually. She expressed concern that Nigeria remains one of eight countries accounting for two-thirds of global TB cases, with an estimated 479,000 infections and over 150,000 deaths in 2023.
“These are not just statistics,” she said. “They represent mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters whose lives compel us to act with urgency and compassion.”
Mrs. Tinubu commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Stop TB Partnership, and other partners for their transparency and dedication in expanding access to testing, diagnosis, and treatment while integrating TB services into primary healthcare.
In his remarks, the Chair of the Stop TB Partnership Board and Secretary of Health of the Philippines, Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, stressed that TB is not only a health issue but a broader development challenge. He urged the use of artificial intelligence and digital technologies to accelerate diagnosis and treatment.
READ ALSO: FG to End Income Tax for Nigerians Earning Below ₦800,000 by 2026
Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership, Dr. Lucica Ditiu, also underscored the importance of government ownership, sustainable systems, and political commitment in achieving the 2030 target. She revealed that new funding mechanisms in several countries have recently enabled thousands to be screened, diagnosed, and enrolled in preventive treatment.
Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, was also in attendance.
The 38th edition of the Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting was previously held in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2024.