The Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), Professor Patrick Dakum, Wednesday, commended the efforts of the federal government in fighting tuberculosis.

He said government’s expansion of TB diagnostics, use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered technology, and increased private-sector involvement, is a laudable.

This was contained in statement issued in Jos by Prof. Dakum’s media consultant, Shabul Mazadu, marking the World Tuberculosis Day.

“The Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, Professor Patrick Sunday Dakum, has commended the President Tinubu led federal government via the Ministry of Health, led by Dr. Ali Pate of its efforts in combating the second deadliest infectious killer disease, Tuberculosis,  which his institute has been combating for the past twenty years,” the release reads in part. 

It said Dakum lauded sinking of N700bn to combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB and immunization, saying all these are remarkable efforts towards eradicating the disease.

He further applauded wife of the president, Remi Asiwaju Tinubu, for pledging to contribute N1bn through the Renewed Hope Initiative for the fight against TB, saying it is a welcome development and worthy of emulation. 

Prof.  Dakum lamented that despite the free treatment of the disease, it killed 71, 000 people within a year and with over 400,000 infection cases as per 2024, while 43, 000 children were treated of the disease last year.