Lawmaker procures N5 million for HIV, sickle cell intervention in Katsina

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A lawmaker representing Dutsin-ma and Kurfi constituents in Katsina state has have made available N5 million worth of drugs for sickle cell anemia and HIV patients in the state.

Danlami Kurfi procured N5,668,122.10 HIV and sickle cell anemia drugs for hospitals within Dutsin-ma and Kurfi local government areas.

Addressing health issues bedeviling his constituency and the Katsina at large, the lawmaker said the effort was to help the president and the state governor deliver on their responsibilties to the people.

Kurfi said: “That it is necessary for all and sundry to put hand together in order to fulfill their APC manifestos and to help the President and state governors deliver."

He said the procurement of the deliverables are new measures took to expand the health programme to address other ailing diseases like malaria, HIV among others.

It was gathered that the lawmaker procured drugs worth over N515,000 sickle cell drugs; N493,000 for on daily feeding of the entire patients at the hospital every month.

He also urged beneficiaries of the new drugs to adhere to doctor's prescriptions in taking the drugs, and urge them not divert it for other material gain.

A joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) had earlier said that Nigeria purportedly has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world and has one of the highest new infection rates in sub-Saharan Africa.

The UNAIDS said 720,000 Nigerians are on the United States PEPFAR-supported HIV treatment with approximately four million Nigerians reciving counselling and testing service in 2017.

The international agency said many people living with HIV in Nigeria are unaware of their status due to insufficient recommended number of HIV testing and counselling centres.

It also decried the low access to antiretroviral treatment which has remained an issue for people living with HIV in Nigeria.

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The agency further called for a new commitment of the federal government of Nigeria to use domestic funds to provide antiretroviral drugs to an additional 50,000 people living with HIV each year.

It also emphasised the critical role of transparency, accountability, and partnerships in reaching these goals of a free HIV nation.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that no fewer than 12,500 expectant mothers in the state of Osun got 12,500 delivery kit distributed by the state government.

The project led bythe Osun state governor, Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, began on Monday, December 11, 2017.

The provision of the delivery kit is a government project focused at improving maternal and child health.

N1,500 for health of Nigerians - on NAIJ.com TV