The House of Representatives committee on HIV AIDs, Tuberculosis and Malaria, has canvassed the allocation of one percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation to tackle HIV/AIDS and other diseases.
Chairman of the committee, Amobi Ogah, who briefed his colleagues at the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) at the committee retreat held at the national Assembly complex in Abuja Tuesday explained that the decision followed a careful analysis of NACA’s capacity,
performance and experience and for the sustenance of the fight against all public health diseases.
He said there was lack of coordination of efforts and responses to public health diseases, and stressed the need to amend the NACA Establishment Act of 2007, to restructure NACA to a Multi Sector Agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, that will coordinate responses to HIV/ AIDS, and other public health threats such as Viral Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, Ulcer, Leprosy and Malaria.
Among decisions taken at the retreat held recently in Lagos with the theme: “Leadership for Sustainability of the HIV Response – The Role of the Legislature” were the need to provide legislative interventions that will facilitate the domestic production of HIV drugs and commodities, thereby promoting local content within the sector.