The federal government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to place 50,000 person’s on HIV treatment annually to ensure the total eradication of the epidemic in the country.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha gave the assurance at the 6th National Council on AIDS held in Abuja.
Boss said as Government they will continue to improve the health of Nigerians and as well address the challenges affecting HIV services to enable access to treatments by the citizens.
”The Federal Government is still committed to placing additional 50,000 persons on HIV treatment annually continued to be financed by the Federal Government. Governments at sub-national levels are variously evolving innovative approaches to sustainable health financing including health insurance.
The effort of all stakeholders toward the coordination and implementation of the HIV response in Nigeria is sincerely appreciated. May I assure you, once again, of the Governments’ full commitment to providing an enabling environment for effective implementation of policies and strategies aimed at epidemic control and sustainable HIV/AIDS response for the country.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health represented by Dr. Alex Okoh further harps on the need for sustainability of the HIV national response, adding that adequate monitoring and evaluation will strengthen efforts toward its total elimination in the country.
“To look towards achieving epidemic control, program and financial sustainability must remain central in our discourse.
Strengthening government leadership, coordination, and management of the national treatment will be crucial for sustaining the health sector response.
Reinforcing the existing system for procurement and supply management, delivery of high-quality treatment and prevention services and effective monitoring and evaluation will be a key concern for us in the years ahead, especially at the state level.”
Earlier, the Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Gambo Aliyu, and UNAIDS representative Erva-Jean Stevens-Murphy while commending the Federal Government for its additional financial support stressed more commitment so as to address structural barriers for the timely response to the epidemic in the country.
“I want to commend the President Muhammadu
Buhari, GCFR for stepping up Federal Government support by funding treatment for additional 50,000 clients which has enabled us to place 1.3 million people on treatment.
Similarly, I appreciate the initiative taken by the Private sector in establishing the HIV Trust
Fund in Nigeria. I hereby urge all State Governments to follow suit by ensuring adequate
budgetary allocation and releases to their State Agencies for the Control of HIV and AIDS
(SACA) in their respective states.” said the Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Gambo Aliyu
1.7 million people living with HIV are on treatment.
The government of Nigeria has prioritized its sustainability and building resilient health systems
Elimination of mother-child transmission is at the center of the response and partners are seated at the same table to address the structural barrier that is timely in response.” said UNAIDS representative Erva-Jean Stevens-Murphy
They are confident that achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 target will require all state actors’ involvement by ensuring adequate and timely releases of funds to boost the epidemic treatment in the country.
