Sefinat Ododo, the wife of the Kogi State Governor, has pledged to use her position to combat the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in the state.
She made this commitment during the launch of the “Stop TB Partnership Nigeria” campaign, held in collaboration with the Kogi State Ministry of Health, on Thursday at the Lugard House in Lokoja.
Hajiya Ododo emphasized that the campaign is a crucial step in raising awareness and ensuring effective treatment for TB in Kogi State.
“Our collective efforts today will help drive home the message that tuberculosis is preventable, treatable, and curable,” she stated.
She expressed gratitude to all the partners, stakeholders, healthcare professionals, and communities that have united to support the initiative.
As the newly appointed “Stop TB Champion for Kogi State,” she called on the wives of the 21 local government area chairmen to serve as LGA TB champions and help spread the campaign’s message throughout the state.
The Kogi First Lady promised to be a role model and to actively work towards reducing the TB burden in the state.
She urged the public to seek testing if they experience a persistent cough lasting more than two weeks, as early diagnosis and treatment are critical.
Ododo also praised Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her leadership as the Global and National Stop TB Champion.
Earlier this year, Mrs. Tinubu decorated the wives of governors as TB Champions for their respective states to further raise awareness and ensure that the treatable disease is minimized.
Kogi’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adams Abdulazeez, also spoke at the event, highlighting the state government’s commitment to improving healthcare.
He noted that Governor Ahmed Ododo has made significant investments in the health sector, including the revitalization of primary healthcare centers and plans to establish more TB diagnostics and treatment centers across the state’s 21 local government areas.
Dr. Abdulazeez reiterated that TB remains a public health concern but can be prevented, treated, and cured if detected early.
He encouraged anyone with a persistent cough to get tested.
