The House of Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberclosis, Leprosy and Malaria has vowed to investigate the utilisation and impact of the N62 billion federal government intervention funds invested into the HIV/AIDS control programs and and other donor funds by Global Funds plugged into Leprosy, Tuberclosis and Malaria Control Programme during the Muhammadu Buhari.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Amobi Ogah expressed optimism on the fight against deadly diseases in the country due to successes and achievements recorded by the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) led by the Director-General of the agency, Dr Aliyu Gambo during the visit to the agency.
Members of the committee were scared over the data and statistics compiled by the agency on the prevalence of the HIV/AIDS in the states of the federation and asked the agency to due more sensitization on the scourge of the disease in all the rural communities.
The committee, which pledged its support to the NACA disease control programs were disappointed that the Coordinator of National Tuberclosis and Leprosy Control Programme as well as that of National Malaria Control Programme were absent when they were duly informed of the visit by the committee.
The committee chairman who was furious over the absence of the Chief executive officers who were represented by their staff Viz: Dr Emperor Ochoma at NTLCP and another staff at the National Malaria Control Programme said that their actions showed that they ‘ve disdain for the National Assembly.
He expressed fury over the absence of the National Coordinators despite notification of the visit and said that the House Committee would do a through review of to the agencies enabling laws.
He added that rather than the politicians, the caliber of heads of government agencies and institutions is the major problem of the nation.
During the visit, most members of the committee expressed fears over the prevalence of the HIV/AIDS infections as compiled by the NACA state by state as the lawmakers urged the agency to due more sensitization of the rural dwellers on the score of the disease.
The data presented on the National HIV/AIDS Impact Survey conducted by NACA showed that in most states of the federation, two out 10 and 3 of 15 persons sampled and tested had contacted the deadly HIV/AIDS disease.
