FG Committed Attaining Global TB Targets by 2035, Says Mrs. Tinubu

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

As Nigeria grapples with daunting health indices, the First Lady, Mrs.Oluremi Tinubu, has said the federal government remained fully committed to achieving the global Tuberclosis targets by 2035.

Mrs. Tinubu, who gave the assurance yesterday  at the National TB Conference in Abuja said: “We are here today because despite the progress we have all made in the fight against the disease, the global burden of TB still remains alarming, particularly in low and middle-income countries like ours.

“Globally, and according to the 2024 World Tuberculosis Report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 10.8 million people developed TB in 2023, with 1.6 million people losing their lives, and 12 of the global burden affecting the most vulnerable – the children and young adolescents.”

She lamented that Tuberculosis is still a leading cause of death in Nigeria, adding that the country ranks as the sixth highest burden country across the world and first in Africa. 

“The WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 also reveals that Nigeria recorded approximately 467,000 TB cases in 2023.

“However, as we celebrate our successes, we must also acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. We cannot afford to be complacent, and I assure you that the federal government, remains fully committed to achieving the global TB targets by 2035.

“To achieve this, we will require sustained investment, innovative strategies, and a renewed focus on breaking the barriers that prevent people from accessing the care and support that they desperately need,” she said.