Sanwo-Olu launches digital offensive on Malaria, TB, targets 66% detection gap

2026-02-19 - 00:06

By Chioma Obinna The Lagos State Government on Wednesday intensified its fight against malaria and tuberculosis with a sweeping digital health strategy that has integrated over 500 private pharmacies into a coordinated network and launched community-based molecular TB diagnostics to close a staggering 66 per cent detection gap. Hosted by the Lagos State Ministry of Health at an event themed: is “Scaling Digital Health Innovations in Lagos – Leveraging Proven Private Sector Frameworks for National Health Security”, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu declared that digital innovation and private sector collaboration are now central to Lagos’ push for national health security and disease elimination. Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to health security. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, he said: “The health of our citizens remains a top priority, and this gathering reflects that dedication,” he said, noting that digitalisation of over 400 private health providers has improved care for more than 18,000 patients. “Public health progress is accelerated when government enables innovation through partnerships,” the Governor added, highlighting the launch of community-based molecular TB diagnostics aimed at closing the 66 percent detection gap in the state. “The responsibility for health security in Lagos remains firmly with government leadership and accountability to the people.” Speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, described the event as both “the culmination of a transformative chapter and the deliberate commencement of a more ambitious phase in our health systems reform agenda.” Abayomi revealed that Lagos has digitised 514 private pharmacies and patent medicine vendors into a coordinated network through a partnership with Maisha Meds, enabling more than 80,000 diagnostic tests and confirming a malaria positivity rate of just five percent. “This affirms Lagos State’s status as a low-transmission setting,” he said, adding that 95 percent of fever cases in the state are not malaria, creating a digital referral pathway to ensure accurate care. Turning to TB, Abayomi warned that Lagos accounts for nine percent of Nigeria’s burden, with over two-thirds of cases undiagnosed annually. To close the gap, the state is deploying the PlusLife MiniDock, a portable non-sputum molecular diagnostic platform, through the existing digitally enabled provider network. “Rather than constructing a parallel system, we will leverage our established infrastructure to decentralise precise TB diagnostics into communities,” he explained. Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Abimbola Mabogunje, representing the First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, stressed that early, accurate diagnosis is key to disease elimination. “By aligning malaria and tuberculosis diagnostic services, we are maximising resources and ensuring no case is missed,” she said. Other speakers, including National Malaria Elimination Programme Coordinator, Nnenna Ogbulafor, and Acting National Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme, Clement Adesigbin, lauded Lagos’ data-driven approach, urging other states to replicate the model. Highlighting the role of political will and sustainable financing, the Board Chairman of Maisha Meds Nigeria, Ahmed Yakasai said: “Digital health is no longer optional, it is the future.” The high point of the event was the launch of the End TB Now initiative, a community-based molecular TB diagnostic scale-up, marking a decisive step in Lagos’ integrated disease elimination agenda.