The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has raised concerns over the increasing number of tuberculosis cases in the state, revealing that statistics show 18,541 residents are currently affected by the infectious disease.
She called for the support of relevant stakeholders to address the situation.
She made this statement during a media briefing at the investiture ceremony of the wives of Local Government Area and Local Council Development Area chairmen as chairpersons of the newly inaugurated TB Steering Committee and the STOP TB Partnership, held at the Lagos House in Ikeja.
Mrs Sanwo-Olu emphasised that the investiture of the 57 chairpersons’ wives across the state’s 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs, along with the establishment of the STOP TB Partnership and the OFFIL Lagos Steering Committee on TB, marked a significant milestone in the collective fight against tuberculosis.
As a TB Champion and Ambassador, the governor’s wife highlighted the serious threat the disease poses to public health globally and particularly in densely populated Lagos.
She stated, “The role of the chairmen, alongside the female chairmen and the wives of our LGA chairmen, is crucial for grassroots advocacy. They will drive TB awareness initiatives, advocate for policy reforms, and ensure sustainable budgetary allocations each year to facilitate effective planning for care from the outset.”
Mrs Sanwo-Olu added that the newly appointed chairpersons would be responsible for educating the public, promoting health-seeking behaviors, dispelling myths, and mobilizing resources to support community-based TB prevention efforts.
“Health is wealth; it’s about taking charge of one’s health and environment. The establishment of the STOP TB Partnership and the TB Steering Committee is a significant milestone in our health agenda.”
She explained that the initiative aims to strengthen existing TB control programs, build new partnerships in both the public and private sectors, and collaborate with and mentor other state TB partnerships.
Citing the World Health Organisation’s Global Tuberculosis Report of 2023, Dr. Sanwo-Olu noted that an estimated 10.6 million people worldwide fell ill with TB in 2022, including 5.8 million men, 3.5 million women, and 1.3 million children.
She added that in Africa, 2,480,000 people are affected by TB, with one person falling ill every 30 seconds. In Nigeria, there were 479,000 reported cases in 2023, and 18,541 of these were recorded in Lagos.
She stressed that TB is preventable and curable if detected early and treated properly. The Lagos State government, she noted, had already implemented measures such as clearing gutters and slum areas to reduce disease transmission.
Mrs Sanwo-Olu called for collaboration among all stakeholders, including development partners, implementing and collaborating agencies, healthcare professionals, community leaders, citizens, banks, philanthropists, religious bodies, politicians, law enforcement agencies, legislators, market leaders, and the media, to join forces in combating the spread of TB.
