The Federal Government is set to develop a sustainable roadmap for HIV control, vaccination and disease outbreak response in the country.
Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, who stated this at the 4th Biannual stakeholders engagement meeting organised by the United States Centre for Disease Control (USCDC) and Caritas Nigeria, in Abuja, noted that addressing disease outbreak preparedness, immunisation and HIV epidemic is critical for a healthy society.
Alausa observed that despite epidemiological transition being experienced in many developing countries, infectious diseases and outbreaks were not completely tamed and had the tendency to complicate non-communicable diseases, thereby affecting general population morbidity.
The minister noted COVID-19 as a clear example, which had a negative impact on the population with co-morbidities such as hypertensives and diabetics among others.
He said: As we all know, health is not merely the absence of disease, but a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. We consider it a fundamental human right, and every citizen must have access to quality and accessible healthcare services without discrimination.
Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and the collective effort of our dedicated healthcare professionals, we are embarking on a Renewed Hope Health Agenda. This agenda is built on the broad principles of equity, accessibility and sustainability as espoused in our National Health Act, 2014.
The overarching aim is to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians with the overall goal of moving the country closer to its UHC aspirations with a key focus on reducing the gap between the need for and use of services, improving the quality of health services, improving overall financial protection for Nigerians.
Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, said Tinubu, through his Renewed Hope Agenda, was passionate about fixing the country and putting it back on track to achieve its developmental goals.
Ilori emphasised the governments commitment to achieving a domestic-driven HIV response that is sustainable, effective and efficient, adding that all hands needed to be on deck to achieve the shared vision of an AIDS-free Nigeria by 2030.
She acknowledged the efforts of her predecessors, who worked tirelessly to bring the HIV response to its present pedestal, where we are at the brink of controlling the HIV epidemic and achieving sustainability in Nigeria.