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• Pushes for improved advocacy on TB, HIV/AIDS in children
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, New York
The First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu, has recalled how she lost one of her very good staff to the cold hands of death because he won’t disclose that he was suffering from tuberculosis as a result of stigmatization.
She made the call on Monday at the 2023 Nigeria Economic Growth and Trade Summit with the theme “Stemming Migration Flows by Providing Basic Needs”, organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), at Nigeria House in New York.
While stressing the need for Nigeria to be part of the advocacy campaign against the disease, she recalled: “I lost a very, very good staff to TB. Unfortunately, I just watched him waste away without him being able to disclose to me because of the stigma attached to it. We have to work on that and I believe we’ll be able to comprehend what to do for our people.
In a related development, speaking at another side event organised by Concordia, Mrs. Tinubu, reaffirmed that every child deserves the chance to have a healthy and meaningful life while advocating that awareness and prevention of tuberculosis be a priority.
The First Lady spoke at the two separate sessions on Importance of innovation towards achieving an AIDS free generation and health standards and investment towards effectively financing the eradication of tuberculosis.
She said, on both tuberculosis and AIDS in children, Nigeria’s advocacy especially at the national, state and community levels would be pursued vigorously as Nigeria has no reason to have high statistics of prevalence in both areas.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu emphasized that with the heightened drive of the President Bola Tinubu Administration in the health sector, she will be advocating enhanced actions by the wives of governors from the states of the Federation to take the campaign about awareness and prevention to the grassroot.
“Innovative approaches can be employed to develop effective methods for HIV prevention. Educational technology hubs, educational apps and digital platforms can all be used to disseminate accurate information specific to HIV care and control. Advancement in testing facilitates early detection and prompt linkage to care thus preventing progression and transmission”.
“Creative and culturally tailored age-appropriate interventions using technology and social media, can promote and amplify safer sexual and reproductive practices”.
In a statement by her Media Aide, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady explained that the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, which is housed in the Federal Ministry of Health and is overseen by the Minister for Health, is Nigeria’s effective programme for combatting the disease.
She reaffirmed that the Bola Tinubu Administration has developed the Renewed Hope Agenda and has repeatedly emphasised its commitment to restructuring the nation’s health system through improved funding, the provision of cutting-edge diagnostic equipment, capacity building, training for healthcare professionals, and transparency in governance as it relates to the fight against tuberculosis and health care delivery as a whole.
“We need to get people to speak up and know that early detection makes it treatable and we need to see that stigmatization is removed”.
Other panelists included Dr Lucica Ditiu and Dr Jay Rajda who both harped on the need for sustainable patnerships and improved funding.
Mrs. Tinubu was one of the panelists at strategies to advance global health standards and investments towards effectively financing the eradication of tuberculosis.
