Reps Resume $4.6bn Health Grants Probe

The House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases, has resumed full probe into the over $4.6 billion in grants received by Nigeria from international donors between 2021 and 2025 for the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

The House had mandated the committee to investigate the the $1.8 billion the country received from Global Fund and $2.8 billion taken from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the period for response to the killer diseases.

Speaking at the resumed investigative hearing, the committee’s chairman, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah(LP, Abia) said the panel after two initial sittings faced protracted delay owing to Sallah and Easter breaks.

Ogah called for the maximum cooperation of key stakeholders involved in the investigative hearing to ensure the success of the exercise now that it has resumed sittings.

He reiterated that the probe is not to witch-hunt anybody or a vendetta, rather it is borne out of the desire to put Nigeria and Nigerians in the epicenter of all policy thrust, especially on issues of public health threats, such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

“It is also to restore confidence in our International Donor Partners to our adherence to transparency and accountability, and to ensure that whatever grant we receive must be judiciously expended.

“We must therefore ensure that leaders, both at government and non-governmental levels do the right thing to ensure we get it right with the implementation of programs to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other infectious diseases in our country.

“We commend the Global Fund and all International Partners for their support to our health systems on one hand, and all key stakeholders and non-state actors for their immense contributions and collaborations in the response against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other infectious diseases.

“Permit me to remind the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism Nigeria
that going forward the National Assembly will request the submission of all implementation plans by principal recipients and implementing partners of Global Fund grants in Nigeria to the Parliament for approval.

“We also expect quarterly reports of the activities of all recipients and sub-recipients, and key implementing partners of Global Fund grants from Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism Nigeria. As we await the process for the disbursement of the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund Grant within a few months time, it is expected that this process will become operational,” Ogah added.

He called for continued collaboration among key stakeholders and the committee to ensure they remove duplication by allocating resources to areas that will provide greater value for Nigerians.

“To this end, there is need to streamline what state actors and non state actors are doing within the sector, so that resources can be efficiently allocated.

“The Committee will also continue to provide the Legislative support to relevant stakeholders to ensure full implementation of the response against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other infectious diseases in our country,” the lawmaker added.