Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has placed child health at the forefront of global discussions at the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York. In a passionate address during a side event organised by Concordia, Senator Tinubu emphasised the critical need for heightened advocacy and awareness regarding Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS in children.
Speaking at two separate sessions, the First Lady highlighted the importance of innovation in achieving an AIDS-free generation and the necessity of health standards and investments in eradicating tuberculosis. She underscored that Nigeria’s advocacy efforts, particularly at the national, state, and community levels, would be significantly intensified to combat the alarming prevalence of TB and AIDS among children.
“Every child deserves a chance at a healthy and fulfilling life,” the First Lady declared, emphasising that Nigeria must work diligently to reduce the high statistics of TB and AIDS cases affecting its youth population.
The First Lady commended President Bola Tinubu’s Administration for its renewed focus on the health sector, promising to rally the wives of governors from across the states of the Federation to take the campaign for awareness and prevention to grassroots communities. She emphasised the potential of innovative approaches, educational technology hubs, apps, and digital platforms in disseminating accurate information on HIV care and control, as well as promoting safer sexual and reproductive practises.
In her address, the First Lady also shed light on Nigeria’s robust program for combating TB through the National TB and Leprosy Control Program, supervised by the Federal Ministry of Health. She reiterated the administration’s commitment to restructuring the health system by improving financing, providing modern diagnostic equipment, capacity building, training healthcare workers, and enhancing transparency in governance, particularly in the context of TB response and healthcare delivery.
“We need to get people to speak up and know that early detection makes it treatable, and we need to see that stigmatisation is removed,” the First Lady stressed.
Dr. Lucica Ditiu and Dr. Jay Rajda, fellow panellists at the event, echoed the need for sustainable partnerships and increased funding to combat TB effectively.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s participation in strategies to advance global health standards and investments for TB eradication reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to addressing the pressing issues of childhood TB and HIV/AIDS on the international stage.