In a concerted effort to curb the spread of tuberculosis in Lagos, Mr Oyedotun Anthony Oyedeji, a seasoned public health expert and Facility Supervisor with the Damien Foundation, is making waves with a grassroots intervention model hailed by stakeholders as a game changer.
Working in coordination with the Lagos Mainland and Surulere Local Government Areas, Oyedeji oversees TB prevention campaigns, patient tracking systems, and the supervision of Cough Officers across multiple facilities.
Under his leadership, the program has recorded a 45% increase in case detection rates and a 60% improvement in treatment adherence improvement over the past year.
“It’s not just about delivering medication. It’s about building trust, removing stigma, and ensuring every individual receives dignified care,” Oyedeji told Tribune in an exclusive interview.
Oyedeji’s model integrates community-based surveillance, digital reporting tools, and psychosocial counseling — a blend that development partners describe as “impactful and replicable.” His work recently drew the attention of public health researchers at the University of Lagos, who are studying the model for possible scale-up in other high-burden LGAs.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Akin Abayomi, praised the intervention during a recent site visit, stating that “Mr. Oyedeji and his team represent the best of what community-driven health initiatives can achieve.”
In addition to his work with the Damien Foundation, Oyedeji has collaborated with international NGOs on HIV prevention, reproductive health, and capacity building, earning him a reputation as one of the most versatile public health professionals in Nigeria’s development sector.
With a Master’s degree in Public Health from Anglia Ruskin University, UK, and a Nursing Science degree from the University of Benin, Oyedeji brings academic rigor to his fieldwork — a combination that continues to inspire both practitioners and policy advocates.
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