The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NACA

  • NACA holds outreach in Rivers

    NACA holds outreach in Rivers

    A five-day free multi-disease medical outreach targeted at under privileged and rural dwellers have been concluded in Khana Local Government Area in Rivers State by the Federal Government.

    The programme was designed to create awareness on the dreaded disease in order to check its spread, especially among the riverine populace.

    The outreach, which took place in Bori and Taabaa Communities of Khana, also offered free BP checks, HIV counseling, malaria test and treatment, MBI assessment blood glucose check deworming and clinical consultation.

    Flagging-off the event the Deputy Director, Policy and strategy, NACA, Dr. Chidi Nwanemeka expressed delight at the massive turnout.

    He described the outreach as a demonstration of Federal Government determination to provide efficient and affordable health care to every Nigerian.

    Dr. Nwanemeka assured that necessary provisions are in place to replicate the outreach across all the Local Government Areas in the country in order to achieve set goals.

    Dr. Francis Naziga of Rivers State Agency for Control of Aids lauded the initiate and sued for sustenance.

    He assured NACA of the  government readiness for effective partnership to curtail the spread of AIDS and treatment of other prevalent diseases.

    Beneficiaries who spoke lauded the Federal Government for bringing the free health services closer to the people. Over four thousand people benefitted from the exercise.

    Dignitaries at the occasion included Comrade Lovina Nwaidam who stood in for Khana Local Government Council Boss, royal fathers, youth groups and political leaders.

  • NACA adopts stringent measures to check AIDS in Nigeria

      Facebook  Google+  LinkedIn

    The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has pledged the readiness of the Federal Government to adopt stringent measures in checking the spread of the disease in the country.

    The Director General of the agency, Prof Tom Idoko, gave the assurance when he flagged of a medical outreach in Edor and Ikom Town in Ikom local government area of Cross River State.

    He said the priority attention accorded to other prevalent deadly diseases in recent times had resulted in the spread of AIDS which hitherto was under control in the country.

    Idoko, who was represented by Dr. Miriam Ezekwe, lauded stakeholders for their commitment towards the target and called for synergy amongst government for coordinated efforts.

    The Ikom local government area Chairman, Pastor Ayimba Ayimba, thanked the Federal Government for the choice of Ikom for the programme and assured of maximum cooperation for the expansion of the event around the entire local government area which is a border town.

     

     

  • NACA urges collaborative fight against HIV in Cross River

    NACA urges collaborative fight against HIV in Cross River

    The Director General National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), Professor Tom Idoko, has called for synergy amongst the three-tiers of government to guarantee effective combat against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

    Prof. Idoko stated this at the flag-off of a free Multi-disease outreach programme as part of Millennium Development Goals Initiative for 2015 in Calabar.

    He opined that such collaboration would stem duplication, waste of resources and poor delivery in terms of execution.

    The NACA boss who was represented by Mrs. Nne Uwa lauded the programmes implementators Torlak Nigeria Limited for the zeal, determination and commitment to realization of set goals.

    The Chairman Calabar Municipal Council Ntufam Donatus Etim, represented by his Vice Dr. Carol Etim expressed delight at the choice of Calabar for the intervention and assured of the readiness of his administration for effective partnership.

    In her remarks, the State Commissioner for Health Dr. Inyang Asibong said the state accord premium to combat the efforts against HIV/AIDS with a State target of zero tolerance by 2030.

    Dr. Kenneth Oqua of Torlak Nigeria Limited, revealed that the programme was designed to boost health care especially amongst the under-privileged and appealed to political and community leaders to mobilized their people to access the Free Multiple Health Care Services especially the HIV counseling and testing (HCT) which lasted for five days.

    There were goodwill messages from major stakeholders notably the member representing Calabar Municipality, Odukpani Federal Constituency Rt. Hon. Ntufam Eta Mbora, Chairman Health Committee in Cross River House of Assembly Dr. Ekpo Ekpo, Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association, Dr. Offiong Ikpeme and Clan Head of Ediba, Ntoe Iso Nyeh among others.

  • NACA, donors accuse Nigeria of abandoning HIV/AIDS programme

    NACA, donors accuse Nigeria of abandoning HIV/AIDS programme

    •Fed Govt: virus increasing among homosexuals 

    THE National Agency for Aids Control (NACA) and international donor agencies have accused the three tiers of government of abandoning the treatment and intervention programmes on Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).

    NACA Director of Policy and Strategy, Alex Ogundipe and representatives of international agencies like United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAID) and World Health Organisation (WHO) spoke to reporters yesterday at a rally commemorating the World AIDS Day in Abuja.

    They said the country must see HIV/AIDS as a problem of the people of Nigeria and not leave it to donor agencies.

    Three million persons are living with HIV in Nigeria and only 800, 000 are on treatment.

    Ogundipe said: “Nigeria has left HIV treatment and interventions in the hand of donors. It is not right and that is why we are unable to provide the response to everybody that should be on treatment right now.

    “Local governments should see people that are positive as those who can still contribute to this country’s development and provide them the best health care services.”

    He listed measures to be taken by Nigeria to achieve its HIV elimination target by 2030, saying it required family members and communities to stop stigmatising people, who were positive.

    UNAID Country Director Dr. Bilali Camara urged Nigeria to domesticate its fight against HIV.

    “This means investing in the issue and we are calling on the Nigerian government to do more and see how it can match the international resources coming into this country with local response. This will trigger an impactful response which can end the HIV epidemic by 2030.

    “It is not that donor partners are abandoning HIV response in Nigeria, but they are tired and want to see the Nigerian government do more on their own in response to HIV.

    “Somebody who is coming to help you with your own issue, you need to demonstrate to that person that you are also concerned and you are putting resources in it.

    “AIDS really is a good investment because $1 invested today, in five years you will get $70 in returns. It means that this is the time to really do the best,” Camara said.

    WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti called on Nigeria to fill the gaps in the response to HIV/AIDS.

    She said: “We still have to fill major gaps in the response. Stigma, discrimination and punitive laws are persisting in our region. Children, young people, adolescents and key populations are still being left behind. Only 43 per cent of people needing anti-retroviral treatment have access while only 52 per cent of people living with HIV know status.”

    But a new statistics from the Federal Ministry of Health yesterday revealed that HIV/AIDS was becoming prevalent among homosexuals.

    The statistics showed that there was a decline of HIV/AIDS among sex hawkers.

    It came from a survey conducted by Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (IBBSS).

    The survey captured “brothel based females, who sell sex, non-brothel females who sell sex, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, transports workers and officers and men of the Armed Forces and the Police”.

     

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, revealed the statistics yesterday in Abuja during World AIDS Day celebration with the theme: “Getting to Zero: Ending HIV/AIDS by 2030”.

    The minister said the trend could be curbed, if poverty and access to information is tackled.

     

     

  • NACA calls for increased funding of HIV/AIDS treatment 

    National Agency for the Control of AIDS Director-General Prof. John Idoko has called for increased funding and support to combat HIV transmission.

    Three million Nigerians are estimated to be living with HIV; with  750,000 on treatment.

    He said in line with new World Health Organisation (WHO)’s guidelines, which recommend test and treatment, about 2.25 million will be placed on treatment.

    To meet this, Idoko said the country would need about $2.9 million for 2016.

    The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September had set 2030 target to eliminate HIV/AIDS globally, while Nigeria has set 2020 target to eliminate Mother- to-Child transmission of the virus.

    Idoko, who briefed the media on the occasion, said: “Nigeria’s AIDS response has gained a steady momentum in the past four years. We have managed to turn the tide. New infections have reduced by 35 per cent and we now need new commitment to ending AIDS by 2030″.

    This new commitment, he explained, demands that Nigeria take over the funding for AIDS treatment, especially now that funding from international partners are dwindling.

    Prof. Idoko did not, however, rule out private sector funding for the scourge as it’s been done in some countries.

    He said: “Actually that is where we will want to go and those of you, who are conversant with PCSR, which was launched about two year ago, we emphasised that mobilisation must happened at every level-from the federal government, to state government, to local government and to the private sector.”

    He also said national health insurance could be another way, to ensure that funding was made available for the treatment of AIDS in the country.

    Speaking on the UN AIDS elimination 2030 target, Idoko said the there was still much to be done.

    He, however, explained that the 2030 date “does not mean that there will be no HIV/AIDS, it means that HIV will no longer be an epidemic.”

    NACA boss further revealed that what the set date meant to achieve was to ensure that treatment of the virus will be like treating malaria.

    Also, National Secretary, Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said lives, hope of survival and treatment access should not be determined by foreign aid, which is already reducing.

    Adding: “Government needs to own up the interventions, put money on treatment, prevention, care and support to ensure access to HIV/AIDS,” malaria etc.

    He, therefore, appealed to government at all levels to increase funding and budgetary provision for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, which are some of the major factors responsible for the country high maternal and child death.

  • NACA uncovers 3,500 male sex workers in Abuja

    The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) yesterday said about 3,500 male sex workers have been identified in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    NACA’s Director-General, Prof. John Idoko, spoke at the agency’s maiden lecture marking this year’s World AIDS Day.

    In the lecture, with the theme: Strategies for Ending AIDS in Nigeria by 2030, Prof Idoko said the situation was worrisome because over 60 per cent of the men were married.

    He said their action could expose their spouses to the transmission of Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV).

    Prof Idoko said the agency was working on some areas identified as hotspots for male sex workers to end the practice.

    He said: “We found that if we focus our resources in three council areas of Gwagwalada, Bwari and Abuja Municipal, we would have covered a greater population of persons with HIV within the area.”

    The NACA chief said the agency was developing interventions to reduce contacts between infected and uninfected persons.

    In another lecture, the Director of Global Health at the University of Manitoba, Canada, Prof James Blanchard, noted that despite modern technologies, HIV prevention was still complex because of social factors that should be addressed.

    He listed such factors as political commitment and advocacy, laws and labour policies, community mobilisation and a host of other things.

    The expert said Nigerian is a large and complex country, adding that reaching those who need to receive the treatment requires the country to focus on the right environment and high risk areas.

    He said: “We need to match our HIV interventions with the population of HIV distribution. We need to get down to the micro level to know where we put our resources. We have the sex workers, persons who inject drugs and men who have sex with men.”

    Prof Blanchard said the NACA survey identified eight priority states in Nigeria because HIV was not evenly distributed.

    According to him, there are very large populations in parts of the FCT, Lagos, Nasarawa and Benue states.

    He said: “We found that in Benue, 60 per cent of men who visited bars, restaurants and hotels were seeking sexual partners while 12 per cent of the females were seeking sexual partners and nine per cent of those who patronise these places are female sex workers.

    “We also saw substantial risk behaviour in rural areas.

    “In Benue State, 30 per cent of unmarried men had visited a sex worker and 18 per cent of married men had visited a sex worker within the last one month. But this was not the same across the states as some places were high risk areas.

    “Also, a high proportion of married women in the NACA study reported having more than one sexual partner in Cross River and Benue states within the last six months.

    “We need to recognise that Nigeria has a high mixed epidemic with a large number of female sex workers and high causal and female sex workers in urban areas.”

    He added that Nigeria needed to think of how to cover its key population, particularly the sex workers, through intensified outreaches, condom programming, higher treatment and testing programmes.

    Prof Blanchard said: “We need to think of structural programmes to reduce stigma, to reduce vulnerability and violence against sex workers. We should focus our interventions on urban hotspots rather than thinking of a general flood irrigation approach.”

  • NACA to commence study on best HIV treatment strategy

    A study to determine the best HIV/AIDs treatment that will reduce the transmission of the disease from person to person is on the way.

    Some 600 sero-discordant couples (where one partner is negative and the other positive to the virus) will take part in the study at three sites in Nnewi, Jos and Calabar, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, (NACA) announced yesterday in Abuja.

    The research team is to carry out the study which will also help decide whether health workers choose to administer the antiretroviral drug Truvada—as a prevention or treatment for HIV/AIDS.

    Researchers hope the study will help understand why people would hesitate to adopt a prevention strategy, what would prevent a person who has started PreP or antiretroviral from continuing it, and cost-effective methods of delivering the drugs alongside counselling and support to make it work.

    It will also measure new infections averted by use of PreP, the cost of life-year gained or infection averted, and estimate what it would take to scale up the chosen delivery method to a national level.

    Results from the study will be monitored directly at NACA and external assessors in Geneva and reported to its funding sponsors, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Previous studies have shown antiretrovirals help reduce the rate of infection in a population in two different ways—pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP), in which people at risk of infection take the pill to avoid an infection, and treatment-as-prevention (TasP), in which people already infected with HIV-1 take medicines.

    PreP works, even in combination with other HIV prevention methods.

    In his remark at the media briefing yesterday, NACA Director General, Prof. John Idoko, said that the essence of the research is to see if it works in real-life situation.

    “This study is being carried out in Nigeria to see whether it will work in real-life situations among the Nigerian population under normal conditions.

    “It has been found to work. The whole idea is that if it works so well in this situation, it can become a policy,” he said.

    Also, Dr Oliver Ezechi, deputy director of research at Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, who will act as internal assessor of the HIV-prevention study said the research work was not meant to reinvent the wheel.

    He stressed that “the drug has been shown to work. We are trying to see the best strategy to scale it up in Nigeria.”

    NACA and other key players provide needed information on how to implement the strategies in a large population as part of a comprehensive public health programme aimed at preventing HIV infection. The treatment strategy to be used in this project will adopt both TasP and PrEP.

  • NACA, UNAIDS, UNICEF hold workshop on HIV sensitisation

    NACA, UNAIDS, UNICEF hold workshop on HIV sensitisation

    Over twenty medical doctors from a range of specialisations have gathered in Abuja to take part in a sensitisation workshop on the UNAIDS treatment target – the 90-90-90.

    The doctors from the Nigerian Medical Association and the Association of Resident Doctors will listen to presentations by facilitators from UNAIDS and UNICEF on the ambitious treatment target and share their views on how best to fast-track and achieve it by 2020.

    The workshop organised by UNAIDS and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) is meant to sensitise participants on the treatment target which aims at ensuring that, by the year 2020, 90 per cent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.

    It is also meant to ensure that 90 per cent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy while 90 per cent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral load suppression.

    “Unless medical practitioners are fully engaged and take ownership of the 90-90-90 target, it will be difficult to attain. They need to be in the driver’s seat for this process of testing, treating and retaining people on treatment to happen. When health care providers own the target, its success will be guaranteed in Nigeria,” said Dr Bilali Camara, UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria and UNAIDS Focal Point for Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    The 90-90-90 treatment target was launched at a high-level political session of the 20th International AIDS Conference held in July 2014 in Melbourne, Australia, when the UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé, called for a new set of treatment targets by 2020.

    This is the third workshop of its kind in Nigeria. A similar workshop involving vulnerable women and girls took place in March this year, followed by another held in the month of May for journalists and people living with HIV.

    NACA, UNAIDS and UNICEF will facilitate this workshop.

  • World’s AIDS Day: NACA urges Jonathan to sign Anti-stigma Bill

    World’s AIDS Day: NACA urges Jonathan to sign Anti-stigma Bill

    NIGERIA joined the rest of the international community in marking the World’s AIDS Day yesterday with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to give his assent to Anti-stigma Bill.

    By signing the bill into law, NACA said it would enhance ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

    Its Director-General, Prof. John Idoko, stated this in his a message during the commemoration of the day with the theme: “Close the Gap: No to stigma and discrimination.”

    He said: “Nigeria is rallying against stigma and discrimination on the 2014 World AIDS Day by urging Nigerians to stop stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

    “Both the House of Representative and the Senate have passed the Anti-stigma Bill. The elimination of stigma and discrimination will make ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 possible through increased access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services and ensure that no one is left behind by Nigeria’s HIV response.

    “The anticipated signing of the Anti-stigma Bill by the president is a much welcome action in the country’s AIDS response. It will help more Nigerians to seek testing, treatment and care services without fear of facing stigma and discrimination.”

    The UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria and UNAIDS Focal Point for ECOWAS, Dr. Bilali Camara, said: “The signing of the anti-stigma bill into law is a landmark in the efforts to end the AIDS epidemic.

    “It is a symbol of renewed hope that Nigeria shall be able to achieve the ambitious 90-90-90 treatment targets meant to ensure, by 2020, 90 per cent of people living with HIV know their status; 90 per cent who are HIV positive are placed on treatment; and 90 per cent of those on treatment manage to suppress the virus.”

    The World’s AIDS Day is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show their support for people living with HIV and remember those who have died.

    As early as 83:3 am yesterday, scores of stakeholders involved in the fight against the scourge converged on NACA Headquarters, drumming and singing solidarity songs.

    Other major activities held to mark the day included a symposium, as well as HIV counseling and testing campaign flag-off at Mambila Barracks, Abuja.

    Also, the Vice President’s wife, Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo, has urged youths to abstain from “a moment pleasure of casual sex” that could prevent them “from attaining their desired goals in life.”

    She spoke at a programme to commemorate the day for secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with Medical and Educational Foundation for Rural Mothers (MEDFORM).

    Mrs. Sambo, who was represented by Hajiya Nafisat Abubakar, lamented that young people constituted  about 40 per cent of new infection of the virus, urging parents to  teach their children on the effects of HIV/AIDS.

    The Director General, NOA, Mike Omeri, said the day was set aside to reinforce behavioural change of people on the dreaded disease.

    It was alleged yesterday that donor funds meant for the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country was fast disappearing into private pockets.

    It was also claimed that new cases of infections, especially from mother to child, was on the increase with over 700,000 cases being recorded yearly.

    The member representing Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency and House Committee Chairman on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis and Leprosy, Haruna Kigbu, made this known yesterday in Lafia.

    The lawmaker warned that more needed to be done to fight the scourge.

    Kaduna State Chapter of Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS  has berated the state government over what it referred to as its nonchalant attitude towards the welfare of its members.

    It said the state has a prevalence of 9.2 per cent from initial 4.2 per cent, indicating that over 600,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS, quoting NACA 2012 reports.

    Bauchi State said yesterday that of its over 5,632,093 people, 34,961 persons were HIV/AIDS positives.

    About 16,431 were receiving anti-retroviral drugs (ART), according to the state’s Executive Chairman of the Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis (BACATMA), Dr. Abdulazeez Manga.

    In Edo State, over 4,586 persons were said to be living with the disease.

    A breakdown of the figure showed that 2,942 of this number were female while male stood at 1,544, according to available data released by the state Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (EDOSACA).

  • Anti-Gay Law: NACA insincere, says group

    Anti-Gay Law: NACA insincere, says group

    A non-governmental organisation, Nigeria HIV Info has accused the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and its Director General, Prof. John Idoko of insincerity over the statement made on the controversial Same Sex (Prohibition) Law.

    The DG of NACA, according to the group, had issued a statement which suggested that the newly signed law would not have adverse effects on the programs meant to bring succour to the people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

    Prof Idoko was quoted in a news release signed by the Coordinator of NigeriaHIVInfo.com, Steve Aborisade as saying: “Nothing in the same sex Marriage (Prohibition) Law refers to or prohibits programs targeted at Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support for people living with HIV or affected by AIDS in Nigeria. No provision of this law will deny anybody in Nigeria access to HIV treatment and other medical service“

    “A perusal of the Same Sex Marriage Act 2013, makes clear that the provisions thereof do not have any negative effect on the HIV/ AIDS Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support Programs or any other such programs currently in operation in Nigeria’’

    The NGO countered NACA’s boss comment saying: “The proposed bill, for emphasis, goes beyond the banning of gay marriages… but what it actually does is to spell new crimes of homosexuality while criminalizing HIV/AIDS services to sexual minority.

    “To us, Prof. Idoko’s statement and NACA’s position represents the height of hypocrisy and insensitivity by an agency in charge of the national HIV/AIDS intervention of a country like Nigeria which bears the second largest global burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

    “Even when the issue involved is as sensitive and touchy to majority of Nigerians and its government as it is, we had expected that NACA and Prof. Idoko could at least be guided in their response by prevailing facts on the situation of things which makes a mockery of their assertion and is a direct contrast to their advertised position.”

    The statement reads further: “To say that a law which criminalizes an identified most at risk population and prescribes jail terms for those who work with them will not ‘deny anybody in Nigeria access to HIV treatment and other medical services’ is in the least, a disservice to the spirit of the efforts to curtail the impact of HIV/AIDS in our country. We were not expecting Prof. Idoko and NACA to deny the negative impact that criminalization and prejudice poses for individuals who already face all forms of blackmail, family rejection and brutality without a reprieve from our security apparatus. We expect that NACA should also know how difficult an effort it is to establish HIV initiatives for most-at-risk groups in the face public hostility.

    “It is ironic that NACA and Prof. Idoko’s view is contrary to the views expressed by majority of service providers that the law seriously threatens the fragile health and community based HIV initiatives for the community which are sprouting up across the cities of Nigeria. The general consensus, if NACA cares to listen is that the future of these projects is now in jeopardy.

    The humanitarian organisation elaborated more on the rate at which HIV/AIDS affects the country. “In case Prof. Idoko and NACA are experiencing a momentary amnesia about our HIV situation, here are facts to refresh their memory: Nigeria’s 2010 Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS) survey for key at risk populations released in 2011 says over 50% gay partners have sex with female partners, while 40.8% have sex with girl friends. HIV/AIDS prevalence amongst this group is above 12% compared to the 4.1% in the general population. The intersection with the general population where about 50% have ongoing sexual interaction with the general population in the light of the high HIV prevalence in the group, to us is enough reason to reappraise the kind of access they have to HIV services. We must be mindful that the gay population in Nigeria is speculated at about 15.4 million. This important intersection with the general population is something this law has ignored.

    “Meanwhile, of Nigeria’s estimated population of 170 million less than 2.5 million have ever tested for HIV. Annual new infections are put at 323,000 adults and 57,000 children surpassing the number that the country can put on treatment. UNAIDS 2013 progress report says that between 2009 to 2012 Nigeria was only able to reduce infection rates in children from 65,000 in 2009 to 60,000 in 2012. Till date, less than 10 percent of Antenatal facilities offer PMTCT services while Nigeria’s PMTCT coverage shuts out over 70% of HIV positive mothers who needs them.

    “While the UNAIDS 2013 progress report praised South Africa for halving new AIDS infection by 50%, it sadly noted that Nigeria records a 60% increase. Till date, the anti HIV/AIDS stigma bill which was first presented to the National Assembly sometimes in 2006 remained to be passed.

    “With this background, and given our inability to treat our people who require HIV treatment, our failure to halt new infections in both children and adults and with our faltering ART regime, our take is that NACA must be seen as concerned that in the real sense we have a long way to go, while such journey calls for more openness and sensitivity to the real challenges bedeviling our programs. Our expectation is that NACA and its leadership will join the clamour by concerned civil society groups that there is a compelling need for our government to revisit several provisions of this law which are a direct threat to the modest gains of our public health intervention.”

    It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan on January 7 this year signed into law the Act. Offenders risk 14 years imprisonment.