HIV: Reps, NACA Partner On Sustainability Of Response

National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), USAID and the National Assembly House Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM) have brainstormed on sustainable response to HIV in the country.

The director-general of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, in her opening remarks at the Retreat on Leadership for Sustainability of the HIV Response in Abuja, advocated for an integrated approach to tackling these diseases, one that will foster synergy and yield maximum health benefit.

She said, “We are here today to continue our efforts at targeting the eradication of HIV/AIDS by the year 2030. We are re-energised at fostering a commitment to the issues of HIV/AIDS with the legislators here present and help facilitate an efficient and sustainable response in Nigeria”.

The country director of UNAIDS, Dr Leopoid Zeken urged the leadership of the house to scale up efforts and help in terms of legislation for resource allocation.

He called for increased awareness and improved accountability for resources, which would lead to better management of the resources available to solve the major issues plaguing us.

On his part, the Chairman House Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM), Hon. Godwin Ameobi, said that the committee has always advocated for the government to take a lead in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria by providing the needed funds to drive the process of ending these diseases by year 2030.

He said, “The committee is proposing that 1 percent of the Consolidated Revenue be dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Malaria in Nigeria.
“We also recommend that NACA be restructured to a multi-sector agency to manage these resources.

This, Ameobi said, will reduce the country’s over-dependency on foreign grants and donor agencies.

“The legislature as representatives of our communities will continue to provide strong leadership that will engender robust and sustained HIV response in Nigeria through collaboration and partnerships with relevant stakeholders to achieve the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

“For this to be realised, funding is critical as an estimated $8 billion is needed annually to sustain the fight against HIV/AIDS,” he added.