Wife of Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, has called on residents to take proactive steps toward ending Tuberculosis (TB), describing the disease as a major public health threat.
Soludo made the call on Tuesday in a message in Awka to mark the 2026 World Tuberculosis Day, with the theme – ‘Yes! We Can End TB: Led by countries, powered by people’.
World TB Day is marked every March 24 to build public awareness about the global epidemic of TB and efforts to eliminate the disease.
She noted that TB continues to affect thousands of individuals and families, with alarming mortality rates recorded across communities.
“Ending TB is possible, but the responsibility lies on all of us to take smarter and more sincere actions,” she said.
The governor’s wife, however, expressed optimism that the disease could be curtailed.
Soludo said that diagnosis and treatment of TB were free in public health facilities and many private hospitals in Nigeria.
She urged individuals experiencing symptoms such as persistent cough lasting more than three weeks, chest pain, coughing up blood or phlegm, fever, night sweats, fatigue and unexplained weight loss to seek immediate medical attention.
According to her, early detection and treatment remain critical in controlling the spread of the disease.
“Once you or anyone around you notice any of the symptoms, rush to any nearby health facility and get checked without hesitation,” she advised.
Soludo emphasised the need for collective action, adding that communities must work together to eliminate TB-related deaths.
“Together in action, we can end TB deaths in our communities,” she said
