… First Lady Leads Fresh Push Toward End TB 2030 Target
In a decisive move to strengthen community-level tuberculosis (TB) response, Lagos State on Monday invested female legislators, newly elected female local government chairmen, wives of House of Assembly members, and spouses of council chairmen as TB Champions and Ambassadors, reaffirming the State’s commitment to ending the disease by 2030.
The high-level ceremony, held at the First Lady Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Alausa, was led by the First Lady of Lagos State and State TB Champion, Dr. (Mrs) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who said the initiative marked a new phase in empowering women to drive aggressive TB awareness, early testing, stigma reduction, and treatment compliance across all communities.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had successfully secured three of its four female legislators as TB Champions, invested seven of the eleven female council chairmen, and formally inducted 20 chairmen’s wives and seven wives of House of Assembly members as ambassadors in the ongoing statewide TB response.
Highlighting the urgency of the intervention, the First Lady disclosed that over 19,500 TB patients were notified in 2024, with 11,725 patients placed on treatment between January and September 2025, and emphasised that TB remains curable and treatable when communities are well informed and engaged.
She urged the honourees to use their influence in households and communities to champion TB messages, push for increased local funding, integrate TB awareness into meetings and outreach efforts, and offer support to patients who often face stigma, job loss, malnutrition, and discrimination.
Speaking on the burden of TB in Lagos, Dr. Sanwo-Olu noted that with 57 LGAs/LCDAs and millions of residents living in densely populated areas, community engagement remains the strongest tool for prevention and treatment adherence, especially against drug-resistant tuberculosis.
She stressed the need for political and legislative advocacy to protect TB patients and improve access to free screening and treatment across primary healthcare centres and general hospitals while encouraging women leaders to drive awareness in every ward, street, and social circle.
The First Lady also acknowledged the support of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and commended the First Lady of Nigeria for mobilising N2 billion toward TB response, saying collective national action by all 36 First Ladies would accelerate the pace toward End TB 2030.
In his opening remarks, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, described tuberculosis as “one of the most dangerous infections known to man,” warning that its slow progression makes early diagnosis difficult and late detection potentially fatal.
Prof. Abayomi raised concern that many patients discontinue their medication prematurely after initial improvement, a trend that fuels drug-resistant TB, whose treatment costs are significantly higher and last up to 18 months, posing a biosecurity threat in a megacity of over 30 million people.
He said the investiture of female legislators, female chairmen, and chairmen’s wives demonstrated a deliberate shift from hospital-centred TB control to community-driven responsibility, where respected female leaders help identify cases early and ensure treatment completion.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs) Kemi Ogunyemi, commended the First Lady for championing priority health issues in Lagos, noting that the honourees would play a pivotal role in promoting awareness, reducing stigma, and improving access to TB services.
She expressed confidence that through sustained collaboration between the Lagos State Government, development partners, and community leaders, the State would record significant progress in TB control and move closer to its elimination goals.
Earlier in her welcome address, Chairman of the Lagos State TB Steering Committee, Dr. Abimbola Mabogunje, said the investiture was both strategic and symbolic, as the honoured women hold positions of influence capable of shaping community attitudes and health-seeking behaviour.
She urged the TB Champions to champion screenings, promote timely referrals, support patients through treatment, and counter the myths and stigma that often prevent sufferers from seeking care early.
Team Lead, National TB and Leprosy Control Programme, Dr. Emperor Ubochioma, praised Lagos for demonstrating consistent leadership in Nigeria’s TB response, noting that the First Lady’s visibility and advocacy at the recent Copenhagen Union Conference amplified Nigeria’s global presence.
He described the investiture as a bold step that reinforces women’s unique ability to mobilise communities, advocate for early testing, and strengthen grassroots engagement toward reducing TB incidence nationwide.
In his goodwill message, Vice Chair of the Stop TB Partnership, Geneva, Austin Obiefuna, said Lagos had once again shown political boldness, commending the First Lady for elevating Nigeria’s TB agenda on the global stage and spearheading the push for subnational action.
He told the inducted Champions that their new titles carry weight and responsibility, emphasising that their grassroots influence would determine how quickly Lagos advances toward ending TB by 2030.
Representing the World Health Organisation, Dr Vivian Ebeziako said the First Lady’s leadership had set a regional benchmark for TB advocacy, adding that WHO would continue to support Lagos State in strengthening primary healthcare and expanding TB services.
She congratulated the newly invested Champions and encouraged them to use their platforms to advance healthier families, stronger communities, and improved TB outcomes across the State.
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