Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to ending tuberculosis by 2030 through concrete actions, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

This was noted in a statement on Wednesday during her message as the special guest of honour at the 39th Stop TB Partnership board meeting held in Manila, Philippines.

The first lady explained to the gathering of over 180 participants from 47 countries that Nigeria is strengthening its commitment to reduce reliance on donor funding and build resilient systems to ensure no setbacks in ending TB by 2030.

According to Mrs Tinubu, who is the global and national Stop TB champion, the disease remains the biggest infectious killer disease and is a threat to all of us, being airborne.

She said the sustainability of TB response cannot depend solely on external assistance but must come from within the nation through leadership, community engagement, and strategic national coordination.

“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.

“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 increase. 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.

“Health for all begins in our communities; therefore, coming together for the Stop TB Partnership Board meetings reminds us that the fight against tuberculosis is not finished,” the first lady said.

She restated that TB was a threat that has claimed lives, saying, “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.”

The Stop TB Partnership board chair and the health secretary of the Philippines, Teodoro Herbosa, pointed out that TB was more than a health concern but a development challenge for many nations.

(NAN)