TB: Aisha Buhari appoints VP’s, govs’ wives champions

First Lady Hajiya Aisha Buhari has appointed the wife of the vice president, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo and wives of state governors as champions in the fight against tuberculosis in the country.

She made the appointments at a ceremony organised by her office in collaboration with Stop TB Partnership Nigeria in Abuja.

Tuberculosis is an infectious airborne disease transmitted when people inhale bacteria expelled into the air by infected TB patients through coughing, sneezing or talking. Even though it is curable if detected early, 18 Nigerians including children still die every hour from the disease, according to experts.

Medical experts said low case detection and poor knowledge about TB were the two major challenges facing national TB response in Nigeria.

A statement from Stop TB partnership said the first lady, who is also the Global TB Champion and Ambassador, commended the governors wives for their work under the Governors’ Wives Advocacy Coalition (GWAC). She enjoined them to use their positions to support all efforts to end TB in their respective states and the country.

She said the severity of the disease, especially in children and women, made it important for influencers like governors’ wives to be involved.

The governors’ wives in their communique, promised to support the first lady to end TB in Nigeria and improve the health and wellbeing of women and children.

Dr. Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director, Global Stop TB Partnership based in Geneva, Switzerland said leaders from various sectors of the country were needed to lead the fight against TB, adding that it therefore underscored the significance of the first lady’ s investiture of governors’ wives.