The United Kingdom, through its Department for International Development (DFID) has dedicated one hundred million pounds sterling towards the fight against the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) in Nigeria.
The fund is to be channeled towards programmes dealing with prevention of the infection and behavioural changes amongst all segments of the population. It has also dedicated about six billion pounds sterling towards similar programmes across the developing world.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, Gillian Merron , disclosed this yesterday while on a visit to the headquarters of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS(NACA) in Abuja.
Merron who is on a working tour of parts of Nigeria explained that though Nigeria has recorded some considerable progress in the the fight against HIV and AIDS over the last few years, there was still the need to scale up the campaign against the disease by educating the populace on ways of guarding against being infected.
While in the country, the visiting British parliamentarian will be visiting the norther states of Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina where she will be meeting with key government officials and inspecting some programme sites of the DFID.
She will also pay advocay visits to schools where he will be meeting school heads,paraents and pupils in a bid to enncourage girl child education and immunisation against the deadly childhood diseases such as polio.
She said the United Kingdom had made considerable commitment towards development and the fight against diseases in Nigeria and will continue to assist her and other developing countries.
Director General, NACA, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, said in addition to the assistance from DFID, Nigeria had also established a strong collaboration with relevant agencies to ensure that the emerging scenario where HIV is fueled by a resurgence of tuberculosis amongst the population.
Jul102008