A Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has commended Temitope Ilori, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) for initiating the local production of active ingredients for antiretroviral drugs.
In a statement by the Convener of ATT, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu said the move by the Director General of NACA is commendable because it was coming ahead of the 2024 World AIDS Day.
World AIDS Day is commemorated on December 1 and the theme for 2024 is ‘Take the Right Path: Sustain HIV Response, Stop HIV Among Children, and End AIDS in Nigeria by 2030’.
“We are particularly happy when the DG said that under the current administration, and with the support of partners, NACA has recorded significant strides in transforming Nigeria’s HIV response.
“We also noted when she disclosed that the agency launched the preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and pediatric antiretroviral therapy (ART) acceleration committee, a critical step in eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Arewa Think Tank wants to believe this is one of the signs that President Bola Tinubu’s concerns for the health sector have started manifesting especially since the NACA has initiated agreements to produce active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for the African region, with a view to manufacturing antiretrovirals, test kits, and other HIV-related commodities locally, ensuring sustainability and health security.
“We are however not comfortable with the low coverage and advocacy because, despite Nigeria’s progress in tackling HIV and preventing mother-to-child transmission, it remains below 33 percent, below the 95 percent target.
“We are therefore advising that efforts must be made to scale up the prevention of mother-to-child transmission services nationwide, promote universal access to free antenatal care, abolish user fees for PMTCT services nationwide, and expand health insurance schemes to include comprehensive HIV care for everyone.
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“We also want to encourage that to sustain the gains made, Nigeria must invest in resilient and inclusive healthcare systems that ensure uninterrupted access to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
“We want to appeal to Nigerians to support the agency to break the stigma, embrace equity, drive collective action, and stop HIV among children across the country.
“However, NACA must empower every individual, especially women who are most vulnerable to contracting HIV and other vulnerable populations, to access life-saving services and live with dignity.
“Arewa Think Tank believes that President Tinubu understands that health is not merely the absence of disease, but the embodiment of physical, mental, and social well-being. So, his abiding efforts in this sector will have a tremendous impact on the nation’s human capital index”. The statement said.