Caption: Dr. Anyike Chukwuma, Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health; Omosalewa Oyelaran, Deputy Director, HIV&TB Office, USAID Nigeria; Princess Olabisi Adebayo, Chairperson, Mosan LCDA, Alimosho; and Dr. Ubon Udoh, MD/CEO, ASR Africa.

Leading philanthropic organization, Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), committed to delivering sustainable impact in health, education, and social development across the continent of Africa, has completed the renovation of ten Tuberculosis Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) centres in selected Primary Health care centres across seven states in Nigeria namely: Kano, Rivers, Katsina, Bauchi, Anambra, Oyo, and Lagos.

ASR Africa renovated these centers under its HIV/TB Intervention Support programme, with a donation of US$500,000 drawn from the ASR Africa’s Fund for Social Development and Renewal, in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The partnership objectives, ASR Africa said in a statement, include curbing TB and HIV in Nigeria and addressing Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) through supporting survivors with the provision of dignity kits in USAID-supported Sexual Assault Response Centers (SARCs).

Handing over the Akinyele Primary Health Center, Alimosho, Lagos Nigeria, Managing Director/Chief Executive of ASR Africa, Dr Ubon Udoh, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman of ASR Africa Abdul Samad Rabiu, applauded the USAID team for their intervention and their partnership with the Government of Nigeria in the eradication of tuberculosis in the country.

He commended the state governments and the respective agencies who worked to deliver on the project’s success, noting that with the installation of the TB machines, a total of over 22,108 samples have already been taken in the centres, with confirmed positive cases already receiving expert medical treatment.

Dr Udoh reiterated the commitment of the ASR Africa Chairman to investing resources towards tackling pressing developmental issues in health, education, and social development in Africa.

On her part, Anne Patterson, the Mission Director, USAID Nigeria, represented by Omosalewa Oyelaran, Deputy Director, HIV/TB Office, USAID Nigeria, thanked the Executive Chairman of BUA Group and Founder of ASR Africa for collaborating with USAID and invigorating the fight against tuberculosis and HIV in the country. The partnership with ASR Africa Initiative, she continued, has provided critical support to reducing the burden of the disease and ensure a better quality of life for those affected.

Also speaking, the Mosan Okunola LCDA Chairperson, Princess Olabisi Adebayo expressed appreciation to “ASR Africa for bringing this health facility close to us to enable our people to access quick diagnosis and treatment. We will take ownership of this facility and embark on advocacy exercise within the LCDA to ensure proper education about the danger of tuberculosis and the available treatment courtesy of ASR Africa”.

It will be recalled that the US$500,000 donation was utilized for the provision of 11 loop-mediated isothermal amplification diagnostic machines, also known as TB-LAMPs, laboratory reagents and consumables, as well as 1,200 dignity kits for survivors of gender-based violence across selected states in Nigeria. Part of the donation was also used for the renovation of ten Tuberculosis Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) centers in seven states in Nigeria.

ASR Africa is the brainchild of African Industrialist, Philanthropist, and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu. The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) was established in 2021 to provide sustainable, impact-based, homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting Africa’s Health, Education, and Social Development.