We can’t sustain TB response by solely relying on external assistance

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, has called for greater national ownership in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), emphasising that the sustainability of Nigeria’s TB response cannot continue to depend solely on external aid.

According to a statement by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady speaking at the 39th Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting held in Manila, Philippines, she reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to ending TB by 2030.

This year’s gathering follows the 38th Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting held in Abuja in 2024, continuing Nigeria’s active participation as a leading nation in global TB elimination efforts.

Addressing over 180 participants from 47 countries, Mrs Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s progress in increasing the number of people diagnosed and treated for TB through leadership, community involvement, and coordinated national efforts. She acknowledged challenges from shifts in donor funding but maintained that Nigeria’s fight remains resolute.

“I am equally pleased to share that, despite the temporary shifts in support from some financing partners, Nigeria’s efforts in the fight against TB have remained strong,” she said. “Through steadfast leadership, community engagement, and strategic national coordination, we have ensured that the number of people diagnosed and treated for TB in 2025 did not decline. This stands as a testament to the power of country ownership and to the unwavering commitment of Nigerians who continue to drive this response forward, even in the face of uncertainty.”

The First Lady underscored the importance of grassroots health initiatives, saying, “Health for all begins in our communities.” She stressed the continuing threat TB poses, both in Nigeria and globally, noting, “Tuberculosis remains the biggest infectious killer disease and is a threat for all of us, being airborne. It claims close to 1.3 million lives each year. In Nigeria, we remain among the eight countries that account for two-thirds of global TB cases, with an estimated 479,000 Nigerians developing TB in 2023 and more than 150,000 deaths recorded. These are not numbers—they are mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters whose lives compel us to act with urgency and compassion.”

As a Global and National Stop TB Champion, Mrs Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to ending TB in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda led by President Bola Tinubu. She also praised the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Stop TB Partnership, and affiliate agencies for their transparency and dedication, ensuring funds are effectively used to expand access to testing, diagnosis, treatment, and integrate TB services into primary healthcare.

The Stop TB Partnership Board Chair and Secretary of Health of the Philippines, Teodoro Herbosa, remarked on the broader developmental challenge TB poses, stating, “It is a critical fight, despite the remarkable progress made, but we must be relentless and determined.” He called for the deployment of artificial intelligence and innovative technologies to improve TB testing, detection, and treatment as part of a sustained digital transformation of TB care.
Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership, Dr. Lucica Ditiu, stressed the need of integrating data systems between governments and organisations to accelerate progress. “In five countries, in the last two months, new grant facilities have been deployed and, with it, 8,000 were screened, 5,000 diagnosed, and 3,000 enrolled in preventive treatment,” she reported. Ditiu stressed that enduring progress requires countries to own their TB responses, build resilient systems, keep TB on political agendas, actively involve civil society and communities, and increase political commitment.

Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, also attended the meeting, underscoring the government’s active role.