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Original Post Date: 2010-11-30 Time: 13:00:03 Posted By: News Poster
By Salisu Dambatta
Faced with the ugly situation, the Nigerian government is right to seek for, and obtain, the co-operation and support of friendly countries and international donors in the struggle to stem the tide of the HIV/AIDS scourge ravaging the country.
It is within this context that the relevance of the Memorandum of Understanding on HIV/AIDS Partnership Framework for Action signed between the government of Nigeria and that of the United States of America becomes obvious.
Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), whose office supervises the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), signed on behalf of the federal government of Nigeria, while the former US Ambassdor to Nigeria, Dr. Robin R. Sanders, signed on behalf of her country.
An informational document distributed during the signing ceremony shed light on the partnership framework: “The Partnership Framework on HIV/AIDS (2010-2015), is a six-year strategic agenda for co-operation between the government of Nigeria and the government of the United States of America through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).”
The document explained that the framework provides for collaboration by both countries to combat the disease by focusing “on closing the gaps in prevention, care and treatment services and on ensuring that Nigeria has the full capacity to plan, oversee, manage, implement and, ultimately, to finance HIV/AIDS programmes.”
Elements of the partnership emphasises country ownership of the struggle against the disease. This is especially significant because the USA will in time exit from making financial and material contributions to the fight. The partnership also gives the country an opportunity to tap from the resources available “to all development partners, including the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria (GFATM), the UN system, health foundations and the private sector.”
While talking about access to resources from donors, it is pertinent at this juncture to remind Nigerians that the Nigeria-US Partnership on HIV/AIDS actually started in 2004, through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The document indicated that between 2004 and 2009, “the United States has supported HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmes in Nigeria totaling nearly US$1.5 billion (N225 billion).”
Director-General of NACA, Prof. John Idoko acknowledged the role of the United States in combating HIV/AIDS in his speech during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding: “The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is currently Nigeria’s biggest partner in the effort to achieve universal access to HIV services by supporting the provision of anti-retroviral and care and support services. The PEPFAR programmes around the country till date account for about 70 per cent of the patients on antiretroviral therapy (they were 857, 455 in 2009) and have made considerable contributions to prevention and care and support.”
Past interventions at accessing HIV counseling and testing in the country is still low. He emphasised: “There is an inadequate and inequitable access to antiretroviral therapy (ART); the number of children born HIV positive is still unacceptably high; and the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), is rising.”
He alluded to the fact that the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include the reduction in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, could only be possible if HIV/AIDS is fully combated. He noted that “The Partnership framework will further boost the efforts of the national response to actualize the MDGs, including the prevention and care and support of HIV.”
Indeed, the signing of the Partnership Framework MoU was an important occasion. Ambassador Robin R. Sanders said it was particularly significant for her as it was her last official/formal function as US Ambassador to Nigeria. She revealed that formulating the MoU has been in the works for three years. She said the US government is keen on the partnership because through it NACA can make more impact in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. This, she said, is a shared goal for both countries.
Minister of Health, Dr. Christian Onyebuchi commended the government of the United States for the partnership. He said he was delighted that the framework promises a sustainable financing system for tackling the menace of HIV/AIDS.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mahmud Yayale Ahmed reiterated Nigeria’s resolve and commitment to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge. He said that all levels of government in Nigeria see the disease as a real threat and have decided to fight it with all resources available with the view to minimizing its prevalence and putting it under control. This is an important point because the disease has claimed a cumulative 2.99 million lives of Nigerians over the years.
The SGF assured the US government and other development partners that their support to Nigeria has reinforced the commitment of the country to continue to fight HIV/AIDS and vowed that: “The level of internal funding by all levels of government in the country will be increased substantially.”
“It will not be a misplaced investment,” the SGF said. He added: “Whatever the US government and the Nigerian government contribute will be judiciously used.” Mahmud Yayale Ahmed concluded his remarks thus: “The Memorandum of Understanding will be pursued vigorously.”
The first AIDS case in Nigeria was declared in 1986. The National Action Committee on HIV/AIDS was established in 1999. It was transformed into the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), in 2007. The Agency runs many services to enlighten Nigerians on various facets of HIV/AIDS, treat people living with the disease and help to prevent its further spread. NACA partners with dozens of civil society groups in achieving its objectives and is funded both by the federal government and foreign donors.
The activities of NACA are replicated in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory through their HIV/AIDS Agencies called SACA. The outfit performing similar functions to that of NACA in the 744 local g overnments in the country is tagged LACA.
Dambatta is an Information Officer in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Original date published: 30 November 2010
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201011300716.html?viewall=1