Lagos Rallies Forces to End TB by 2030

Lagos State has ramped up its battle against tuberculosis, hosting a vibrant awareness walk and expert symposium on Tuesday to mark the 2026 World Tuberculosis Day. Under the theme “Yes! We Can End TB: Led by countries, Powered by people,” the events underscored a united front to wipe out the airborne killer disease, which claims over 140,000 lives yearly in Nigeria alone, per Federal Ministry of Health data.

Thousands marched from the Alausa Secretariat in Ikeja, waving placards that hammered home TB’s preventability: spot the cough, fever, night sweats, or unexplained weight loss early, and get tested. Healthcare workers, students, and community leaders joined forces, echoing the “Check Am” campaign—a Lagos digital tool blending SMS alerts and app-based screening to snag hidden cases.

The procession fed into a packed symposium at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, where heavyweights dissected progress and plotted next steps. Leading the charge, Lagos First Lady Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu lit a fire under grassroots warriors. “Community officers are our foot soldiers—stay resilient, spread facts, not myths,” she urged, spotlighting a stark gap: of Lagos’s estimated 30,000 annual TB cases (up slightly from 24,000 confirmed in 2025 LASG reports), only 16,000 get detected, fueling silent spread in dense neighborhoods.

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Dr. Sanwo-Olu pushed bold fixes: rope in schoolkids for peer education to crush stigma; bake TB into health insurance for steady funding; and fuse it with HIV and malaria drives. Treatment? Stick to 4-6 months or risk drug-resistant strains needing 18 months of grueling care. She hailed pilots like trust funds and creative TikTok-style videos to hook youth.

Health Commissioner Prof. Akin Abayomi flagged Lagos’s unique risks—overcrowding and poverty supercharge transmission. “DOT therapy isn’t optional; skip it, and you breed monsters,” he warned, citing WHO stats where Nigeria lags global detection at 58% versus the 90% end-TB target.

Special Adviser Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi touted gains: boosted labs, free GeneXpert tests statewide, and partner-backed surveillance slashing deaths by 15% since 2023. WHO’s Dr. Vivian Ibiezoko praised Lagos as a national pacesetter but demanded more cash—Nigeria needs $1.3 billion yearly for TB, per Stop TB Partnership—and tech like AI-driven X-rays.

Partners from Institute of Human Virology Nigeria and Damien Foundation pledged tech transfers and community hunts, eyeing a TB-free Lagos by 2030. Permanent Secretary Dr. Dayo Lajide wrapped with kudos to survivors: “Your grit inspires us—finish strong.”

As pledges flowed, Lagos reaffirmed: ending TB demands everyone’s sweat, from policy desks to street corners.