Reps Introduce HIV Trust Fund Bill

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, introduced a Bill for an Act to establish the National HIV Trust Fund of Nigeria.

The Bill, which is being sponsored by Rep. Ibrahim Makama Misau (Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency of Bauchi State), passed first reading on the floor of the green chamber on Wednesday.

This is coming exactly one month after President Muhammad Buhari launched HIV Trust Fund of Nigeria (HTFN) in Abuja.

President Buhari, while launching the N62bn trust fund last month, said it would help Nigeria end AIDS as a public health threat and place more people living with HIV on treatment annually.

The President pledged that his administration would continue to prioritize health interventions to address killer diseases and public health emergencies.

The Bill will help in providing legislative support and utilization of HIV trust Fund as unveiled by the President.

As Nigeria targets elimination of mother-to-child transmission by 2030, and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the Bill became necessary, so as to put the country at par with other nations, in tackling the spread of the virus and as well managing the victims.

The Bill would also support existing agencies and policies of the Buhari administration, towards prioritizing health interventions to address killer diseases and public health issues, among other things.