The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has donated 10 tuberculosis (TB) molecular diagnostic machines and pledged an additional ₦1 billion to support the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in its fight against tuberculosis.
The donations, made under her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), were revealed during the commissioning of the new TB Diagnostic Machines in Abuja on Thursday.
The First Lady, who was represented by the wife of the Kwara State governor, Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, reaffirmed her commitment to eliminating tuberculosis in Nigeria.
“Earlier this year, during the World TB Day community outreach in Sauka village, I made a commitment of an additional ₦1 billion through the Renewed Hope Initiative to further support the fight against tuberculosis in Nigeria. I am pleased to see again that this pledge has been translated into reality,” she said.
She described TB as curable yet still responsible for needless deaths due to limited access to diagnostic tools.
She added that, “Tuberculosis is curable, but far too many Nigerians are still dying from TB, not because there is no technology to detect the disease, but because access to the appropriate diagnostic tools are limited.
“By the grace of God, this is the gap that the Renewed Hope Initiative, with support of other stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, is trying to bridge.”
The newly commissioned machines, she said, would be deployed nationwide for rapid TB detection, particularly in underserved communities.
“They will help break the dangerous chain of transmission by ensuring that those infected are quickly diagnosed and placed on treatment,” she stated.
While highlighting the multi-dimensional nature of the TB response, she emphasised that tackling the disease requires more than just technology.
Speaking further, the First Lady commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program for their ongoing work.
“To end TB in Nigeria requires not only machines and medication. It demands resources including human, financial, technical and political,” she noted. “I urge all stakeholders to intensify efforts in mobilizing domestic resources for tuberculosis.”
“Let us continue to stand shoulder to shoulder in this fight. Together we will build a Nigeria where no life is lost to tuberculosis, where health is not a privilege but a right,” she declared.
On her part, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health and Environmental Services Secretariat, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, described the First Lady as “a champion for health in the whole country.”
She noted that the Renewed Hope Initiative has empowered both men and women and extended support to healthcare workers through donations of uniforms and protective gear.
Fasawe decried Nigeria’s high TB burden, saying, “Statistics has it that every day at least seven people are dying from tuberculosis. Every day, at least more than 100 people are catching tuberculosis in Nigeria. This is not right because tuberculosis is preventable, is treatable, and we can end tuberculosis.”
She highlighted the significance of the donated machines, which are solar-powered and highly effective in detecting TB quickly.
“They don’t have to take your blood. It’s very easy. It’s safe. It’s effective. These machines have over 95% predictive positivity. And we have chest X-rays, mobile, that don’t need light,” she explained.
“Once we catch tuberculosis and we start treating, within a couple of weeks, in fact, within a couple of days, the patient’s quality of life starts to improve. And within a couple of weeks, the person is totally cured of tuberculosis. Yes, we can,” Fasawe added.
She also educated the public on TB vulnerability, stressing that immunosuppressed individuals, including pregnant women, undernourished persons, and the stressed, are at higher risk.
“Tuberculosis affects people that are immunosuppressed. And it is contagious,” she said. “Treatment is absolutely free. You don’t have to pay an order.”
Dr. Fasawe concluded by praising the First Lady’s commitment. “With this drive and Her Excellency’s commitment, we can end tuberculosis,” she stated.
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