Medical Expert Calls on FG to “Unlock Funds” to Fight Against HIV/AIDS

 

Davies told newsmen that the government needed to unlock its funds in order to channel it to the fight against the virus.

``Most of the HIV funds is donor driven, there is funds in Nigeria to help fight the virus so we need to unlock it.”

She urged the Federal Government to see how it could strengthen the health system as coordination had been an issue in addressing health problems in the country.

Davis said the UNAIDS, 2011 reports have said that globally, Nigeria alone accounted for 21 per cent of new infections in children.

While WHO 2011, says that Nigeria alone contributed 29 per cent to global gap in reaching 90 per cent of pregnant women living with HIV in need of ARVs for Prevention of Mother  To Child Transmission (PMTCT).

Davis said the government should mobilise and educate the community on the issue of prevention from mother to child as they were the gatekeepers.

She called for more capacity building and awareness creation on PMTCT, adding that there was under utilisation of maternal and newborn services as well as inadequate collaboration with private sector.

Davis said in 2011, world leaders including Nigeria launched the Global Plan toward the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive

According to her, the Government is committed to increased domestic funding, health systems strengthening, decentralization and integration to increase access to services

She urged the government to put its promises into action to fast track the fight against HIV and AIDS in the country.

The doctor said the government set up PMTCT Scale-up Technical committee to address the issue of mother to child transmission.

According to her, the committee next step will be supervisory visits to states and site assessments in October 2012.

Other includes procurement of HIV test kits and antiretroviral drugs for PMTCT scale up for 12+1 states with World Bank funding.