First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Flags Off ‘Free to Shine’ HIV/AIDS Campaign in Enugu


Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has officially launched the “Free to Shine” Triple Elimination Campaign in Enugu, an initiative spearheaded by the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) and international partners to eradicate HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, and Hepatitis by the year 2030.

Speaking at the flag-off held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Tuesday, Senator Tinubu emphasized the urgency of the campaign, noting Nigeria’s disproportionate share of HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa.

“We launched the campaign in January 2025 and have flagged it off in five political zones of North Central, North East, North West, South South and South West. Today, we have flagged off the campaign in Southeast to complete the Free to Shine campaign.

“Our aim is to reduce HIV infection among women, prevent mother and child transmission and ensure that every child born with it gets the necessary treatment,” Tinubu said.

She expressed appreciation to Governor Peter Mbah, his wife Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, and the people of Enugu State for the warm reception during her two-day working visit.

Governor Mbah, in his remarks, pledged his administration’s full alignment with the goals of the campaign, stressing the centrality of healthcare in his government’s development strategy.

“Here in Enugu State, we have aligned our healthcare priorities with the vision of the ‘Free to Shine Campaign.’

“By September, we would have completed and fully equipped 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres in all wards — each with accommodation for health workers to ensure round-the-clock care.

“We have also strengthened our secondary and tertiary healthcare systems and broadened access to health insurance and emergency services, especially for the most vulnerable.

“These efforts are already yielding results — with a significant reduction in maternal, under-five and infant mortality.

“But we know the work is not done. No health system can thrive in isolation or assume it no longer needs support. This is why we embrace the goals of the ‘Free to Shine Campaign’ — goals that seek to eliminate stigma, expand access to HIV treatment, and, most importantly, end mother-to-child transmission of HIV,” he stated.

Also speaking, the First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, hailed the national First Lady and OAFLAD for championing the health and dignity of Nigerians through the campaign.

“I commend the First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for demonstrating leadership and commitment to the health and well-being of Nigerians.

“As 2023 data from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) shows, Nigeria has one hundred and forty thousand (140,000) children aged 0–14 living with HIV, with twenty-two thousand (22,000) deaths each year. This is an enormous public health burden with vast social and economic implications. So, the ‘Free to Shine Campaign’ is indeed a creation of necessity,” Mrs. Mbah said.

She further emphasized the power of collective action:
“Collaboration is the driving force of change and development. When we collaborate, problems that seem intractable are solved. So, I am confident that the goals of this campaign will be achieved in Enugu State, in Nigeria – and across Africa. What is required is whole-hearted dedication,” she concluded.



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