The wife of the president, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, stated that Nigeria recorded approximately 467,000, tuberculosis, cases in 2023.
She made this known Tuesday while declaring open the three day 2024 National Conference on TB, organised by ‘Stop TB Partnership Nigeria’ in Abuja.
The theme was: ‘Public-Private Partnership and Integrated Service Delivery: Panacea to End TB in Nigeria.’
Mrs Tinubu lamented that tuberculosis is still a leading cause of death in Nigeria, as Nigeria ranks 6th highest burden country across the world and first in Africa.
She stated that despite the progress made in the fight against the disease, the global burden of TB still remains alarming, particularly in low and middle-income countries.
Globally, and according to the 2024 World Tuberculosis Report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 10.8 million people developed TB in 2023, with 1.6 million people losing their lives, and 12% of the global burden affecting the most vulnerable, the children and young adolescents.
She said: “Despite these challenges, I am encouraged by the progress that has been made so far. Thanks to the commitment of the Tinubu administration, civil society organisations, healthcare providers, and international partners. Subsequently, we have seen a steady increase in the number of people diagnosed and treated for TB.
“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 she reassured Nigerians that the federal government, remains fully committed to achieving the global TB targets by 2035.
“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 that they desperately need,” she stated.
Mrs. Tinubu noted that as the global and national stop TB champion, she is committed to the collective fight against TB.
“I believe that the solution to ending TB lies in the strength of our partnerships, both public and private, and in the integrated delivery of services that leave no one behind.”
