Aisha Buhari appoint VP wife, others as TB ambassadors
First Lady, Dr. Aisha Buhari, has appointed the wife of the Vice-President, Dr. Dolapo Osinbajo and wives of state governors as Tuberculosis (TB) champions to lead the fight against TB in Nigeria.
The First Lady who is also a global TB champion and ambassador, said the appointment will affix additional strength and support to the fight against TB in Nigeria.
According to Dr. Mrs. Buhari, the severity of the disease especially on children and women makes it a priority for influencers like the first ladies.
Speaking at the investiture ceremony, which was held in collaboration with Stop TB Partnership Nigeria at the Conference Room, office of the First Lady at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Lucica Ditiu, the executive director, Global Stop TB Partnership based in Geneva, Switzerland said that Nigeria has the highest-burden of TB globally.
Ditiu while calling on leaders from various sectors in the country to lead the fight against TB emphasized the importance of ending TB in Nigeria and its significance to Africa and the rest of the world.
‘’Leaders from various sectors in the country are needed to lead the fight against TB. Hence, the investiture of the First Ladies is highly significant and commendable’’, Ditiu said.
Also speaking, Dr Temitayo Odusotee, the TB team lead for the USAID Nigeria emphasized the role of the first ladies saying, it is mainly to work with other stakeholders at the national, state and local government levels to create more awareness about TB.
Odusotee also called for more advocacy in the area of domestic resources for the support of TB programs and services in Nigeria.
The first lady in her remarks commended the First Ladies for their work under the Governors’ Wives Advocacy Coalition (GWAC) and implored them to use their vintage position to support all efforts to end TB in their respective States and Nigeria as a whole.
She added that the severity of the disease especially on children and women makes it a priority for influencers like the First Ladies.
Meanwhile, the wives of State governors have reiterated their support to the effort of the First Lady to end TB in Nigeria and improve the health of women and children.
Tuberculosis is an infectious airborne disease that is transmitted when individuals inhale the bacteria expelled into the air by infected TB patients through coughing, sneezing or even talking.
It is curable if detected early and treated properly. Unfortunately, 18 Nigerians including children still die every hour from this disease. Low case detection and lack of adequate knowledge about TB due to low awareness creation are two of the major challenges facing TB response in Nigeria.
To end TB in Nigeria, more political leadership and increased domestic resources are needed especially from government at all levels and from corporate sector.
