By Chioma Umeha
Worried by dwindling donor funds for the
elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (eMTCT), experts have urged
the Federal Government to boost funding, political commitment, health
infrastructure and ensure adequate engagement of the private health sector to
achieve the goal.
According to them, lack of political commitment,
and funding at State and LGA levels, weak health infrastructures as well as
inadequate engagement of the private health sector are some challenges against
elimination of new HIV cases in children.
The experts spoke at the opening of a three-day
communication strategic review workshop by Journalists Alliance for Prevention
of Mother to Child transmission of HIV (JAPiN) in Calabar, Cross Rivers State,
recently.
Decrying the country’s dependence on foreign
donors to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV, one of the experts,
Dr. Sunday Aboje, National Coordinator, National AIDS/STI Control Programme
(NASCAP), said that there is need for Federal Government to take over the programme.
Dr Aboje, who was represented by Assistant Chief
Scientific Officer of the agency, Taiwo Olakunle, also called for timely
release of budget for AIDS control, prevention, and treatment.
He said; “Prompt release of 100 per cent budget
for AIDS control, prevention, and treatment for the relevant Ministries,
Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would make a difference in the lives of people
living with the disease.”
He further attributed over-reliance on foreign
donors to be responsible for the lack of coordination in the HIV Health Sector
Response, saying this result in duplication of efforts, parallel programme,
among others.
Dr, Aboje said: “Over-dependence on external
donors is also responsible for lack of coordination in the HIV Health Sector
Response resulting in duplication of efforts, parallel programme, wastage of
resources with little or no impact on the patients.
“Instead of Government to dictate, guide and
supervise donor agencies and implementing partners, the reverse is the case.
They operate with minimum regards to stipulated guidelines or agreements with
the Federal Government. In summary, ‘HIV Programme seems hijacked by
international donors agencies.”
Aboje stated that currently, 380,000 children are
HIV positive in the country, adding that Nigeria is committed to the goal of
eliminating new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive
by 2020.
Aboje, however, stated that Nigeria’s target on
eliminating new HIV cases in children among other things for 2018 was to ensure
50 per cent of HIV-exposed children have access to HIV prophylaxis treatment
and early infant diagnosis services.
In a related development, Mrs. Kadiri Oluseyi,
Executive Director, Centre for Positive Health Organisation, Lagos State under
the platform of Abidjan – Lagos – Corridor, tasked government to increase
funding for child HIV elimination programmes.
Oluseyi called on government to support People
Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
partners working on HIV awareness in line with the global campaign for safer
motherhood and HIV-free babies.
According to her, support from the government
through increased funding and access to anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs will help
to ameliorate the challenges of PLWHA, especially pregnant mothers and help in
actualising the eMTCT of HIV.
Oluseyi spoke when members of Journalists Alliance
for Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV in Nigeria (JAPiN), Lagos
state Chapter made the special investigative visit to the office of Abidjan-Lagos
Corridor Organisation, in Badagry General Hospital, Lagos, recently.
Oluseyi said: “Government should support the
People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
partners working in the area of HIV, support groups with funds.”
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