HOR Proposes 1% Of Consolidated Revenue To Fight HIV/AIDS

The House of Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM) has proposed allocating 1% of the Consolidated Revenue of the Federal Government to address HIV/AIDS and other public health diseases.

Committee Chairman, Amobi Ogah while briefing members of the committee at the end of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA and the house committee retreat explained that the decision followed a thorough analysis of NACA’s capacity and performance.

According to Ogah, the committee aims to reduce dependence on foreign aid and enhance the fight against public health diseases.

Stating that there is a lack of coordination of efforts and responses to public health diseases the chairman, stressed the need to Amend the NACA establishment Act 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, Leprosy and Malaria.

He also reiterated the committee commitment towards reviewing the anti-discrimination Act of 2014 to ensure relevance and to further the dialogue on stigmatization of patients who suffer from these diseases.

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.

It includes the call on all Non-Governmental Agencies and Other Non-State Actors who are working in the sector to register with NACA or the New Agency and subject themselves to oversight by the National Assembly to promote accountability, transparency, National security and sovereignty of the Nation.

Besides, it entails the need to empower NACA to hold international and Local Partners more accountable for multi-sectoral interventions in Nigeria.

It also calls for more interface and engagement with NACA for improved synergy and continuous information sharing on multi-sectoral coordination and management of HIV and other related diseases, he stressed the need for more capacity building Mechanism and attendance at HIV/AIDS conferences for enhanced knowledge of global best practices and innovations.

The objectives of the retreat were: to foster the commitment of the legislators to the ownership and sustainability of the HIV response and to facilitate the effectiveness of the HIV response coordination and oversight.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji