- Nigeria’s parliament plans to pass a law prohibiting stigma and discrimination against tuberculosis patients, as announced by Committee Chairman Amobi Godwin-Ogah
- Nigeria faces the highest TB burden in Africa, accounting for 19% of cases on the continent and ranking sixth globally
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Amobi Godwin-Ogah, has pledged that Nigeria’s parliament will soon pass a law to prohibit stigma and discrimination against tuberculosis (TB) patients.
He committed this during a Tuberculosis Law Retreat hosted by the Stop TB Partnership and Lawyers Alert. The event included members of the National Assembly, officials from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, TB experts, and those affected by TB.
Nigeria has the highest TB burden in Africa, accounting for 19% of cases on the continent and ranking sixth among high-burden countries worldwide. Despite limited resources—only 18% of global funding for TB—the country’s TB program has achieved notable progress, a fact Godwin-Ogah commended.
He also committed to advocating for increased TB funding and laws protecting TB patients from discrimination.
Rommy Mom, President of the human rights organization Lawyers Alert, emphasized the importance of legal protection to prevent TB-related stigmatization. Such measures, he said, are essential to curbing the spread of TB in Nigeria.
Other participants, including TB expert Professor Brian Citro and Deborah Ike, Deputy Director of the Global TB Caucus, stressed the need for a strong legal framework to address the challenges posed by TB in Nigeria.
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