First Lady Boosts FCT’s TB Fight With New Diagnostic Machine

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has strengthened the Federal Capital Territory’s tuberculosis (TB) response with the donation of a new diagnostic machine to the Dutsen Makaranta Primary Health Centre, Abuja, under her Renewed Hope Initiative health outreach.

Represented by the wife of the Kwara State Governor, Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, Mrs. Tinubu said the equipment would enhance early detection and treatment, particularly in underserved areas, noting that TB is curable but still claim lives due to limited access to diagnostic tools.

While pledging an additional ₦1 billion through the Renewed Hope Initiative to support rapid testing and treatment nationwide, Sebator Oluremi said “As the global and national champion for TB, I assure you I will continue to advocate and lead the fight to end TB in Nigeria by 2030.”

The Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, described the intervention as a “bold and strategic response” to Nigeria’s TB burden, especially among vulnerable populations. She said the donation would boost early detection, expand access to life-saving services, and reinforce ongoing efforts to curb infectious diseases in the FCT.

“For us in the FCT, this intervention is a welcome boost to our ongoing efforts to curb infectious diseases, promote community health, and expand the reach of our diagnostic capabilities, especially in underserved communities,” Mahmoud said.

Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, confirmed that the latest intervention has brought the FCT’s TB diagnostic capacity to over 10 machines. She stressed that the solar-powered equipment would serve even off-grid areas, eliminating the need for patients to travel to secondary hospitals for testing.

“Tuberculosis remains one of Nigeria’s most under-reported killers, with over 100 new infections daily and at least seven deaths every 24 hours, despite treatment being free,” Fasawe noted.

She commended the First Lady’s sustained healthcare commitment, highlighting her earlier donation of safety gear for frontline workers and her focus on TB as a turning point in the national response.

According to Fasawe, “If we could end polio, we can end TB. “With these machines and her intervention, more attention is being paid to tuberculosis. We are diagnosing faster, saving lives quicker, and bringing healthcare closer to the people”.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji