The First Lady also unequivocally declared that all forms of treatment for TB and HIV in Zamfara State are now free of charge, an announcement made as she received an excellence award for her commitment to championing the programme's cause.
The event, held at Government House in Gusau, saw Hajiya Huriyya Lawal underscore the theme of 2025 World TB Day: “Yes we can end TB, commit, invest and deliver.” She issued a passionate call to all sectors – governments, private entities, health workers, and citizens – to unite and take strong actions in the ongoing battle against TB and HIV.
Collective Responsibility in Combating TB
Speaking on the occasion, Her Excellency highlighted the dangerous nature of TB, a disease affecting people globally, including Nigeria. However, she emphasized the positive news: TB is curable. She stressed that it requires collective responsibility to identify and treat patients at the early stages of infection.
Hajiya Huriyya Lawal expressed her joy in standing as a TB champion, leading awareness campaigns and advocating for the eradication of TB within the state. She acknowledged the progress made under the leadership of her husband, Governor Dr. Dauda Lawal, noting that more people have been tested and treated, resulting in many lives saved.
The First Lady extended her commendation to the Commissioner for Health, Hon. Nafisa Mohammed Maradun, and her team for organizing a successful TB Day event, reaffirming the state's commitment to providing free TB and HIV/AIDS treatment.
Enhancing Outreach and Addressing Challenges
Dr. Yusuf Abubakar Haske, Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, explained that the donated vehicles and motorcycles would significantly boost the efforts of health workers. These assets will enable them to reach remote rural communities, facilitate the collection of disease samples, and transport them to laboratories for testing and other crucial medical procedures. Dr. Haske also noted Zamfara State’s relatively low cases of HIV/AIDS while emphasizing the continued fight against TB.
Dr. Lawal Sani, the state's TB Programme Manager, further underscored the importance of the donated vehicles and motorcycles. He reported a substantial increase in active case searches in Zamfara, leading to the discovery of 10,000 TB cases in 2024. Remarkably, a 93% cure rate has already been achieved, with ongoing treatment to ensure the full recovery of the remaining patients, considering that it takes six months to treat a TB patient to a recovery stage.
Dr. Sani revealed that the programme supports 508 private and public facilities across both urban and rural areas to ensure equitable healthcare access for all. However, he also highlighted several challenges impeding the programme's full effectiveness.
These include a lack of computers for data management, reporting, and coordination; insufficient implementation knowledge among newly appointed local government supervisors and assistants; the non-release of counterpart funding; inadequate office accommodation; and the non-engagement of casual staff who have served the state diligently for six years.
"Particularly, the non-release of counterparts funding hampers our ability to effectively implement our programmes and reach our yearly target," Dr. Sani stated. He appealed to all stakeholders, especially government partners, to prioritize the timely release of these funds to enable the state TB programme to undertake more comprehensive technical steps in the fight against TB and HIV.