The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the utilisation of grants received by Nigeria to combat HIV, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria from 2021 to 2025.
By EricJames Ochigbo
The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the utilisation of grants received by Nigeria to combat HIV, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria from 2021 to 2025.
The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Rep. Philip Agbese (APC-Benue) at plenary on Tuesday.
Moving the motion, Agbese said that Nigeria had received an estimated $1.8 billion dollars in grants from Global Fund from 2021 to 2025 to fight against HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
According to him, this is in addition to over $2.8 billion dollars received from USAID to cover other health threats such as HIV, malaria, polio, and tuberculosis between 2022 and 2024.
The lawmaker said that Nigeria also received over $6 billion dollars in health assistance from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief from 2021 to 2025 to fight HIV/AIDS and build capacity of Health and Community Systems.
Agbese said that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social welfare are responsible for the utilisation of the grants from USAID while the Country Coordinating Mechanism Nigeria is responsible for utilizing and implementing the global fund grants in Nigeria.
“Concerned that with this huge investment in the Nation’s response to HIV, TB and Malaria, Nigeria still bears great burden in all these public health threats.
“In 2023 approximately 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurred among Nigerian children aged 0-14years, while 51,000 AIDS-related deaths were recorded in the country with Nigeria ranking third globally in HIV deaths, and also with the highest number of HIV cases in West and Central Africa.
“In the area of TB Nigeria ranks first in Africa and sixth in the world accounting for 4.6 per cent global TB burden, while Nigeria bears the highest malaria burden globally, accounting for an estimated 26.6 per cent of global cases and 31% of malaria deaths.
“Also aware that the UN Sustainable Development Goal has established a target of 2030 for all nations to ensure the elimination of HIV, TB and Malaria in their Countries, for which if the status quo continues, Nigeria may likely not meet this target,” he said.
The lawmaker expressed oncerned that there had not been a coordinated and robust oversight of the implementers of these grants received by the country by the National Assembly.
He said that if something drastic was not done to reassess and reevaluate the utilisation and implementation of the grants, Nigeria may continue to suffer huge burdens and continue to lose population to these diseases and might fail to eliminate the diseases by 2030.
The house mandated the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control to investigate and report back to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.
The lawmakers urged the Minister of Heath and Social Welfare to provide the implementation plan and approvals granted by the National Assembly for the utilisation and expenditure of the grants. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)