@nkechi_ikpeazu Becomes TB Champion

By Chika Ojiegbe

Wife of the Governor of Abia State, Deaconess Nkechi Ikpeazu, has been invested as Tuberculosis Champion and Ambassador.

The investiture took place at Banquet Hall Presidential Villa, Abuja where Mrs. Ikpeazu was decorated by Nigerian First Lady Aisha Buhari.

Performing the Investiture, Hajia Aisha Buhari, said her choice of Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu as TB Champion was determined by the latter’s sense of responsibility and commitment to “ensuring the health and wellbeing of our people”.

Hajia Aisha Buhari said that she will work closely with Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu and other wives’ of Governors in order to address global, regional and national challenges presented by the disease.

As TB Ambassador, Mrs. Ikpeazu would help create awareness, mobilize stakeholders, and advocate for more funding, advocate for the scaling up treatment centers and strengthening of TB screening structures in the state.

Responding, Mrs. Ikpeazu pledged to discharge her new assignment with the vigor and dedication which she has shown in all endeavors she pursues.

It will be recalled that Hajia Aisha Buhari and her Foundation’s Future Assured program has worked successfully with Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu’s Vicar Hope Foundation on several programs that bordered on nutrition, maternal and childcare, as well as care for internally displaced persons.

Tuberculosis (TB) is currently the number of infectious killer disease globally and ranks amongst the top 10 causes of death worldwide. Though preventable and treatable, about 160,000 Nigerians including women and children die from TB related complications every year. Last year, Nigeria had 418,000 TB cases.

Low case detection, inadequate treatment, lack of adequate knowledge and low awareness creation are major problems escalating TB spread in Nigeria.

 The Nigerian First Lady is leading an ambitious new program to drive down the number of new infections and mortality, as Nigeria carries the highest disease burden in Africa.