Today 12th of December 2024, at the State House Conference Centre, Aso Villa, Abuja, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Global & National STOP TB Champion, hosted a historic High-Level Event: Political Leadership to End TB during the 38th Board Meeting of the Stop TB Partnership Global.
This monumental event, themed “Political Leadership to End TB”, gathered dignitaries from 62 countries, including ministers of health, parliamentarians, TB caucuses, technocrats, and global partners like WHO, USAID, Stop TB Partnership and the Global Fund, to strategize and reaffirm commitments toward eradicating the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
Key Participants and Sessions
Welcome Address
- Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo– Acting Board Chair, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria
- Austin Arinze Obiefuna– Vice-Chair of the Board, Stop TB Partnership Global
Opening Remarks
- Iziak Adekunle Salako– Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
- Tope Adebola Adams– National Coordinator, TB People Nigeria
Keynote Presentation
- Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of Stop TB Partnership Global, delivered a powerful session titled “The Big Reset to End TB”, emphasizing the urgent need for global collaboration to end TB.
High-Level Interventions
Contributions from global leaders included:
- Hon. Lord Nick Herbert, Chair of the Global TB Caucus
- Melissa Jones, Mission Director, USAID
- Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the Global TB Programme, WHO
- Halima Alima Daud, Deputy Minister of Health, Malawi
- Amirzoda Abdukhalig, Deputy Minister of Health, Tajikistan
- Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Health, Indonesia
- Teodoro J. Herbosa, Secretary of Health, Philippines
Remarks
- Muhammad Ali Pate, Honourable Coordinating Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, praised Nigeria’s significant progress in combating TB.
Key Highlights of the Event
Official Commissioning of the TB-LAMPS
The highlight of the event was the commissioning of the TB-LAMPS by Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, a groundbreaking initiative that underscores Nigeria’s leadership in TB eradication and marking a milestone in improving affordable TB diagnostics and treatment.
✅ Nigeria’s Commitment:
Under the exceptional leadership of the First Lady and Hon. Minister Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria is enhancing case detection and deploying innovative strategies to tackle TB head-on.
✅ Global Advocacy:
Experts and stakeholders emphasized the urgent need for:
- Scaling up new tools and technologyfor TB detection and prevention.
- Increased investmentsin research, infrastructure, and healthcare systems.
- Addressing social determinants like malnutrition, housing, and food securityto reduce TB risks.
Key Takeaways from the Event
This landmark gathering highlighted:
- Nigeria’s commitment to reducing the TB burden through enhanced case detection and treatment strategies.
- Calls for increased research investments, development of better TB drugs, and advancing a TB vaccine.
- Mobilization of resources and partnerships to strengthen healthcare systems, address malnutrition, and prevent co-infections like HIV.
The Fight Against TB
Despite remarkable progress, Tuberculosis remains the biggest infectious disease killer in the world. The event underscored the need to:
- Deliver better drugs and vaccines.
- Mobilize resources for innovationsand healthcare improvements.
- Strengthen partnerships across governments, NGOs, CSOs,and communities.
Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, shared an inspiring message:
“Together, we must scale up our efforts, embrace innovations, and ensure no one is left behind in the fight against TB. Political leadership is key, and we are proud to bring this fight to the global space.”
