On Friday, I was honoured to attend and provide goodwill remarks at the Launch of the Private Sector Strategy to End Tuberculosis in Nigeria held in Lagos by Stop TB Nigeria, hosted by H.E. Dr Muhammad Ali Pate CON, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, with the united support of global partners, Stop TB, World Health Organization, The United Nations Office for Project Services, United States Agency for International Development – USAID and The Global Fund.

This pivotal launch represents a critical advancement in our national fight against tuberculosis, a disease that continues to impact countless Nigerians, as Nigeria ranks first in Africa and sixth in the world, accounting for about 4.6% of the global TB burden, as an estimated 15 Nigerians die each hour due to TB. By involving the private sector to enhance our efforts, we aim to ensure that identification, expertise, innovation and resource allocation are efficient, effective, and transformative, with progress meticulously monitored at every stage, enhancing access to diagnostics, treatment, and care, ultimately reducing the TB burden in Nigeria.

Joined by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu JokeSanwoolu, Founder and Chairman of Coronation Group Limited, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede FCIB, CON, Former Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Professor Peter Piot, and other allied global health dignitaries, we urged all stakeholders to commit to shaping the outcome of TB strategies in our pursuit of a TB-free nation.