By Queen Kunde
Abuja, Nigeria – The 2024 National Tuberculosis (TB) Conference, themed “Public-Private Partnership and Integrated Service Delivery: Panacea to End TB in Nigeria”, opened yesterday at the Abuja Trade and Convention Centre. The event brought together global and national stakeholders, with Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, CON, delivering a keynote address.
In her speech, the First Lady emphasized the critical importance of partnerships in combating TB, particularly in a country like Nigeria, which bears the highest TB burden in Africa and ranks sixth globally. “Tuberculosis remains a leading cause of death in Nigeria,” she noted, citing the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2024 Global Tuberculosis Report, which recorded approximately 467,000 TB cases in Nigeria in 2023.
Mrs. Tinubu commended the collaborative efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, led by Coordinating Minister Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and partners like Stop TB Partnership Nigeria. She highlighted the progress made, including increased TB diagnosis and treatment rates, while acknowledging the significant challenges that remain.
“As the Global and National Stop TB Champion, I am committed to our collective fight against TB,” Mrs. Tinubu affirmed, stressing the need for sustained investments, innovative strategies, and a renewed focus on removing barriers to care. She also applauded the efficient use of funds she donated earlier in the year, which were utilized to procure diagnostic tools to enhance TB case detection.
The event featured remarks from several dignitaries, including Prof. Ali Pate, who reiterated the federal government’s commitment to meeting global TB targets by 2035. “Unity in partnerships, particularly between public and private sectors, will drive the solutions needed to end TB in Nigeria,” Prof. Pate said.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), WHO representatives, and leaders from Stop TB Partnership Nigeria and Global Stop TB Partnership also delivered goodwill messages, commending health workers, activists, and TB survivors for their unwavering dedication to the fight against TB.
The First Lady concluded her address with a call to action: “United in our efforts, we can and will end TB in Nigeria and contribute to the global fight to eradicate this devastating disease.”
The conference, which continues this week, provides a platform for stakeholders to share experiences, forge stronger partnerships, and develop innovative strategies to address Nigeria’s TB burden.
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