Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, marked World Tuberculosis (TB) Day by urging Nigerians to take TB seriously and seek early diagnosis and treatment. She emphasized that TB is both preventable and curable, highlighting the importance of early intervention in saving lives.
As the National and Global Stop TB Champion, Mrs. Tinubu expressed a personal commitment to combating the disease, recalling the loss of a friend to TB. She stressed that TB remains a significant health threat, particularly when undiagnosed and untreated, and called for increased awareness and action to prevent further loss of life.
Mrs. Tinubu also highlighted alarming statistics from the World Health Organization’s 2024 Global TB Report, noting that in Nigeria, one person dies of TB every seven minutes. She described TB as a national emergency that requires urgent attention and collective action to address effectively.
In her message, the First Lady encouraged individuals experiencing symptoms such as a persistent cough lasting more than two weeks, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, or fever to visit the nearest health facility for free TB testing and treatment. She reiterated that TB treatment in Nigeria is free and accessible, urging those affected to seek care promptly.
The theme for World TB Day 2025, “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver,” underscores the need for collective commitment and investment to eradicate the disease. Mrs. Tinubu called on all stakeholders to unite efforts, invest in proven solutions, and ensure the delivery of life-saving interventions to those in need, reaffirming the possibility of ending TB through collaborative action.
