FG to tackle inadequate healthcare infrastructure, poor funding

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has expressed government’s commitment to addressing the problems of inadequate healthcare infrastructure, poor funding, gaps in data quality and other issues bedeviling the health sector in the country.

Speaking at the 4th National Council on AIDS in Abuja, Mustapha observed that the Federal Government is working towards increasing national and state-level HIV funding, and ownership and sustainability of HIV response in Nigeria.

He noted that resources for the HIV response in the country have been inadequate.

“The Federal Government will continue to confront and address challenges affecting HIV services and the need to increase investments in the health of our citizens. It shall optimise response strategies and strengthen our coordination and accountability, to achieve national and global targets towards ending AIDS by 2030,” he said.

Mustapha said that President Buhari, in line with this commitment, has pledged to fund the treatment of an additional 50,000 people living with HIV every year.

In his address, Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Sani Aliyu, said that a consensus was reached during the National Economic Council meeting last year for states to commit 0.5 to 1 per cent of their annual budgetary allocations to HIV, adding that the agency has commenced follow-up advocacy visits for the implementation of this decision.