*TB kills one person every 5 minutes
By Victoria Okpanachi
The First Lady of Kogi State, Hajiya Sefinat Usman Ododo, has launched an initiative to combat tuberculosis (TB).
Tagged: “Stop TB Partnership Nigeria,” which was launched by the Kogi State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, flagged off the Stop TB Partnership, on Wednesday, in Lokoja.
According to her, the event marks a significant milestone in the fight against TB, focusing on grassroot outreach to heightened awareness and sensitisation.
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While urging all partners to intensify their efforts in eradicating the deadly but curable disease, she stressed that tuberculosis poses a serious threat to public health both globally and nationally.
Hajiya Safinat, who is the Stop TB Champion in the state, pledged to use her office to lead the charge against TB, emphasising the importance of a united effort to eliminate the public health threat.
The First Lady added that the campaign is a vital step towards creating awareness and ensuring effective treatment for those affected by the disease.
She urged for collective effort to help in driving the message and awareness that tuberculosis is preventable, treatable and curable and that the message gets to the grassroots.
Hajiya Sefinat, appreciated all the partners, while assuring those at the grassroot that after the local government elections, the wives of the local government chairmen, will become the local government TB champions.
This, according to her, is to take the initiative closer to the people to ensure that the challenges posed by tuberculosis is overcome in order to achieve a healthier future for all.
In his address, Commissioner of Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adeiza, reaffirmed the persistent threat TB poses and the crucial role of TB champions in raising awareness and mobilising stakeholders. TB, he added, affects everyone in the society and kills one person every five minutes.
He praised the First Lady’s leadership and the collaborative efforts of the Stop TB Partnership and other supporters, while noting that he is confident that their combined efforts will lead to a significant reduction in TB cases across the state.
The Executive Secretary, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr. Mayowa Joel, said at Stop TB partnership, their goal is to ensure that there is an end to the spread of TB in Nigeria.
He stressed that the statistics are scary, however, the disease is treatable and curable and this is the reason why there should be sensitisation to end TB in Nigeria.
He appealed to the State Government to provide more testing machines across all health facilities for quick detection of the disease which is the first step to ending TB.
He commended the Kogi State government for a wonderful outing, while appreciating the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her support in ensuring the end of TB.
Dr. Ananias Dauda, country representative of the World Health Organisation, said Nigeria has made tremendous progress in combating TB. According to him, the efforts of the national tuberculosis programmes, through the support of WHO and partners, implemented strategies that increased by 25% TB data which is about 370,000 cases recorded for 2023.
The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health, Dr. Barnabass Isaac, said TB poses a major public health challenge, whereby people with weak immune systems are prone to the disease.
He added that as Kogi State is putting in effort to combat the spread of TB, which is preventable, the testing and treatment is free in Kogi State.
He stressed that the Stop TB partnership in Kogi will improve political and financial support that will improve the funding of the TB programmes.
