US spends $44m on AIDS in Nigeria

Posted by admin American Politics, Headlines Thursday, April 12th, 2012

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terrence McCulley, said his country has spent $44m to fight the dreaded HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

The US Ambassador, added that the funds were used for capacity building in the treatment of the virus and the provision of necessary infrastructure in military formations.

McCulley, who was represented by the Deputy Chief of Mission in the US Embassy, Mr. James McAnultry, at a workshop of the Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence in Abuja on Wednesday, said the US-supported centres were providing care and treatment to 25,000 patients in the country.

He stressed that the US was committed to the collaboration with the Nigerian military in the campaign against the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus.

Speaking also at the event, the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Olusola Obada, stated that the MOD and the USDOD had come up with a five-year strategic plan from 2012 to 2017 on the treatment of the disease.

The Minister said the plan was designed to provide the desired policy direction and guidance on how to treat the virus.

She explained that the primary motive for the establishment of the HIV/AIDS programme was to provide standard treatment to patients in the armed forces and their civilian counterparts in host communities.

According to the minister, the management of other infectious diseases like tuberculosis and malaria would be included in the five-year plan.

“As you are aware, the mutual collaboration between the Nigerian Ministry of Defence and US Department of Defense in the fight against HIV/AIDS dates back to 2005 when the programme was established.

“Looking at the achievements of the programme with the first strategic plan, I strongly believe that the 2012 to 2017 strategic plan will essentially make the programme much better in services and more accessible to people,” she said.

The Chairman of the Emergency Plan Implementation Committee, Maj.-Gen. Tahir Umar, said a second strategic plan was necessitated by the emergent and more compelling challenges posed by the need to halt the spread of the virus.

He said the first strategic plan from 2007 to 2009 gave the programme the needed focus and direction.

Meanwhile, the armed forces have urged the Federal Government to increase funding and make necessary changes towards improving on the failing health care system in military hospitals.

The call was made by senior medical personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force during an event held to commemorate the Nigerian Navy Health Week in Lagos on Wednesday.

The event with the theme, ‘Health System Development: A Key Component of the NN Transformation Agenda for Enhancing National Security,’ ends on Thursday (today).

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim, said the Navy’s medical facilities had been outstretched, calling for their replacement.

He said, “Emerging global challenges call for improvement in facilities and adequate training of health personnel.

“Our medical facilities have been stretched to their limits but then, we must ensure that we are adequately prepared to sustain a healthy navy that can be relied upon in defending the territorial integrity of our nation.”

Air Commodore Bashiru, who is the Director 445 Hospital, NAF, Ikeja, said the problem of health care was not due to dearth of personnel but lack of equipment.

“The problem is not lack of personnel but lack of proper medical equipment,” he said.

-Punchwp_posts