Nigeria has joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2013 World Tuberculosis (TB) Day.

The slogan for this year's campaign is ''Stop TB in my lifetime" while the theme is "Nigeria free of TB".  The event was held at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja on Friday 22nd March 2013.

Key activities of the day were Press Briefing by the Honourable Minister of Health, Professor C.O. Onyebuchi Chukwu followed by questions and answer session from the press and the audience.  Goodwill messages were delivered by WHO, USAID, CDC, ILEP, PR to Global Fund TB grant and the civil society.  There was also a testimony from a cured MDR-TB patient.  Thereafter, a symposium titled Nigeria free of TB: Key challenges and way forward to the elimination of TB in the country was delivered by Dr Lovett Lawson of Zankli Medical Centre, Abuja.

In attendance, were the Honourable Minister of Health and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, WHO Country representative, USAID, Country Director CDC, Representative of the PRs to Global Fund TB grants (ARFH and IHVN), Representative of ILEP, National Co-ordinator NTBLCP, Staff of NTBLCP, WHO/TUB NPOs, Representatives of Non Governmental Organisations, civil society organisations, people affected by TB and Gentlemen and Ladies of the PRESS.

Finally, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Rui Vaz Miguel handed over TB Laboratory Diagnostic equipment and consumables, procured with support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to the Honourable Minister of Health to accelerate TB care and control in Nigeria.  The items handed over were 36 ILED Microscopes, reagents and consumables worth $126,000.00.