Dedicate 1% of consolidated revenue to fight against AIDS, TB & malaria — Ogar

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, ATM, Godwin Ogar, has proposed the dedication of 1 percent of the consolidated revenue to the fight against the three disorders.

Ogar spoke in Lagos during a 2-day retreat with the theme: “Leadership for the Sustainability of the HIV response: The Role of the Legislature”, hosted by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, for the House of Representatives, also recommended the restructuring of NACA into a multi-sector agency to manage resources for the campaign against HIV & AIDS.

Speaking on the role of the legislature in achieving the goal of ending HIV/AIDS by 2030 in Nigeria, Ogar advocated strong and sustained legislative response even as he affirmed that the legislature, will continue to provide a strong leadership that will engender robust and sustained HIV response in Nigeria.

Ogar who called for robust budgetary allocations to HIV &AIDS argued that lawmakers, as representatives of the people, must be involved in programme development to ensure community ownership and understanding.

“With an estimated annual need of $8 billion, legislators play a pivotal role in securing resources to combat HIV & AIDS. By fostering collaboration and securing funding, legislators can significantly contribute to ending HIV & AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

“I have always advocated that the government must take the lead in the fight against HIV through AIDS, tuberculosis, leprosy, and malaria control by providing the needed funds to drive the process of ending this disease by year 2030.

“The Committee is proposing that 1 percent from the consolidated revenue be dedicated to fight against these diseases. This will reduce our over-dependence on foreign grants and donor agencies.

“We also recommend that NACA be restructured to a multi-sector agency to manage these resources. We will continue to provide legislation that promotes comprehensive health care, supports research, ensures access to quality treatment, and strengthens partnerships that are crucial to our collective success.

He said the Committee would double up its oversight function to ensure that funds budgeted for HIV response are used for the purpose for which they are made.

Further, he said, “Another area of concern to the legislator, and indeed the members of this great committee on HIV, is the stigma and discrimination faced by communities of persons living with HIV.

“I want to pledge our resolve and commitment to ensure zero tolerance to stigma and discrimination of those living with HIV. We will revisit the HIV & AIDS Anti-Discrimination Bill, which penalizes any employer, individual, or organization that requires HIV tested as a precondition for employment with a view to compelling enforcement by the relevant agencies.”

In her remarks, the Director General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori said the primary objective of the meeting was to foster the commitment of the legislators to the ownership and sustainability of the HIV response and also to facilitate the effectiveness of the HIV response coordination and oversight.

Ilori said the HIV response in Nigeria has in the last 20 years put about 1.7 million persons on treatment and ensured that over 98 percent have remained HIV-negative.

“Nigeria continues to contribute 25 percent of all HIV transmission between mother and their children, globally. The Minister of State for Health Dr Tunji Alausa and the Coordinating Minister Prof Mohammed Ali-Pate are desirous to ensure that no child is born HIV positive in Nigeria.

“The HIV response has been largely donor-driven and there is ongoing donor fatigue, the country needs to demonstrate greater ownership of the HIV programme if it must sustain the HIV response.”

Highlighting the need for the government to do business unusually and the legislature is critical to the process she remarked that the meeting was meant to sensitize the legislature about the good work the agency is doing and how the parliamentarians can join in supporting the HIV response.