Tuberculosis: Nigeria launches healthcare reform with key partners
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By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Health Services and Environment Secretariat, in collaboration with Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP), and MobiHealth, has launched a telehealth initiative at Dutsen Makaranta Primary Health Care Centre (PHC).
The event was attended by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, represented by Ambassador Folake Abdulrazak, First Lady of Kwara State.
Also present were Dr Dolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services, and Dr Funmi Adewale, CEO of MobiHealth.
Senator Tinubu reaffirmed her commitment to eradicating tuberculosis in Nigeria by 2030.
“Earlier this year, I pledged ₦1 billion through the Renewed Hope Initiative to fight TB. Today, that pledge becomes reality,” she said.
She called for greater domestic funding, stressing that “ending TB requires human, financial, and political support. I urge stakeholders to mobilise resources.”
The new initiative deploys advanced TB diagnostic machines that reduce diagnosis times from weeks to just hours, while also integrating telehealth to provide round-the-clock access to doctors and medicines.
Nigeria currently has the sixth-highest tuberculosis burden in the world, with one in three cases going undiagnosed.
Dr Funmi Adewale underlined the programme’s impact, noting that it would also strengthen primary healthcare delivery.
“Patients can now be evaluated online, with tests done on-site and medicines prescribed immediately. Primary healthcare is the bedrock of any system. This will restore trust in PHCs,” she said.
Dr Stella Richard of MobiHealth emphasised the role of telehealth in addressing Nigeria’s chronic doctor shortage.
“Before the ‘Japa Syndrome,’ we were already understaffed. Now, with telehealth, patients can access doctors remotely, even from abroad, ensuring they receive the care they need,” she explained.
Dr. Richard added that patients would not need smartphones to benefit from the system.
“Trained staff at PHCs will help them connect to doctors worldwide. If a patient needs a Yoruba-speaking doctor, we’ll find one. This ensures everyone, regardless of language or location, gets quality care.”
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