The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has appealed to the National Assembly to increase domestic resources, and accelerate the implementation of the country’s sustainability pathway to ending Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) by 2030.
NACA and other stakeholders made the appeal at a two-day retreat organised in collaboration with United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Jhpiego for the National Assembly House Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM), under the theme “Leadership for Sustainability of the HIV Response.’
NACA Director General, Dr Temitope Ilori, highlighted the importance of legislative support in achieving sustainability and effective coordination of the national response, as well as realisation of the global goal of eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030. According to him, the political declaration by Heads of State and Governments in 2021 committed to the bold targets for ending AIDS in the Global AIDS Strategy. The declaration emphasised the need for sustained engagements with governments, especially the legislators at all levels to mobilise political leadership for renewed commitment and increased domestic resources for effective, as well as sustainable HIV response.
llori said that NACA has a new business model for HIV response, which entails using both national and subnational structures to take ownership, and sustain the national response.
She noted that an estimated two million Nigerians are living with HIV and out of the number; about 1.7 million are receiving treatment for the disease.
“We realised that in the past 20 years, most of the treatment and most of the national response are being funded by partners, international donors, and international aid. It is time we start talking about ownership and sustainability,” she said.
The NACA boss observed that the essence of the retreat is to enlist the commitment of the legislators to ensure ownership and sustainability of the HIV response, as well as boost the effectiveness, coordination and oversight function, which is their primary assignment.
She expressed the agency’s determination in providing leadership to drive an accelerated decline in new HIV infections in the country.
“We have a target of eradicating HIV/AIDS by the year 2030, which is the global target and working towards achieving this. We believe that as stakeholders in this project, the National Assembly members supervising us should be abreast of the situation and our roadmap, vision and mission, and how we want to ensure the sustainability and ownership of the national response,” she added.
UNAIDS Country Director, Dr Leopoid Zeken, urged the legislators to scale up efforts and help in terms of legislation for resource allocation for HIV response in the country. He called for an increased awareness and improved accountability of resources of the resources available to solving the issues.
Zeken believed that the success achieved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria will have an overbearing effect on the African continent’s success.
Chairman, House Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Hon Godwin Ameobi, assured that the legislature will continue to provide strong leadership that will engender robust and sustained HIV response in Nigeria through collaboration, as well as partnerships with relevant stakeholders to eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2030.
According to him, funding is critical as an estimated $8 billion is needed yearly to sustain the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
“We, therefore, as leaders must all step up, roll our sleeves and begin to walk the talk of ending HIV/AIDS by the year 2030. To achieve this, leadership at all levels must own and sustain national HIV response towards ending HIV/AIDS by 2030.”
Ameobi stressed the need to address gender and human rights barriers, as well as domestic financing to make progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He stated that there is still much work to be done but believe that the summit is the right step in the right direction. He called for a sustained engagement between NACA and the legislature and suggested that one per cent of the consolidated national funds be dedicated to managing HIV/AIDS.
Ameobi called for more retreats on capacity building to keep legislators abreast of best global practices while urging strict efforts against stigma and discrimination, especially in workplaces.
On his part, a Public Health Specialist and Country Director, Jhpiego, Oniyire Adetiloye, called for an integrated approach that will ensure the patients receive the best solutions to these health issues.
According to him, Jhpiego has been in the forefront of tackling HIV/AIDS and has reached millions of Nigerian women, men and children since 1978. He noted that HIV testing services have been provided to more than 2.6 million people, while more than 74,000 have been newly identified as HIV-positive and over 72,000, linked to care and treatment.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER