HIV/AIDS: FG to inject novelty to the fight – Health Minister

A documentary to demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing issues of HIV/AIDS will be launched on December 1, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said.

Adewole made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the sidelines of a media parley marking his one year in his office.

The minister said that this was to mark the 2016 World HIV/AIDs Day.

NAN reports that the theme for the 2016 World AIDS Day is entitled: “Access Equity Rights Now”.

The minister said that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the launch of the documentary, adding no fewer than 500, 000 Nigerians living with the scourge would be treated.

“We do not have enough resources to cater for these 500,000 Nigerians. We are planning to prioritise in our 2017 budget, how to put 100,000 out of the 500,000 on treatment.

“May be with the donor’s support and global funds, we can scale up treatment for others.

“These are the steps we are taking to demonstrate the government’s commitment to address the burden of HIV/AIDS in the country,” he said.

Adewole urged every Nigerian to go for HIV test to know their health status.

He, however, denied the rumour that there was shortage of drugs for people living with the scourge in the country.

“There are rumours that there is shortage of drugs; that is not true.

“We have the drugs, and we are working with all the states of the federation on this.

“As many states that can also scale up their HIV/AIDS intervention, the better for us,” Adewole said.

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