The House of Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM) has proposed allocating 1 per cent of the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue to address HIV/AIDS and other public health diseases.
Rep. Amobi Ogah, the chairman of the committee, said this at the end of the committee retreat with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), in Abuja on Tuesday.
The retreat, themed: “Leadership for Sustainability of the HIV Response – The Role of the Legislature,” aimed to foster legislative commitment to the sustainability of the HIV response.
He said that the decision was aimed at reducing dependency on foreign aid and sustained the fight against public health diseases.
Ogah also called for the amendment of the NACA Establishment Act of 2007 to restructure NACA into a multi-sector agency, coordinating responses to HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, buruli ulcer, leprosy, and malaria.
He said that the committee was committed to reviewing the Anti-Discrimination Act of 2014 to address stigmatisation.
The key decisions reached at the retreat included promoting local production of HIV drugs, ensuring accountability of NGOs, and enhancing NACA’s oversight capabilities.
The event underscored the need for improved multi-sectoral coordination, accountability, and adoption of global best practices in HIV response.(NAN)
