Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has called upon all pharmaceutical companies for more cooperation and understanding in reducing the cost of anti – retro-viral drugs through production of generic items for HIV/Aide patients across the world.
Buhari who spoke today at the 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States of America, encouraged the world body to continue in its efforts to sustain the fight against infant and maternal deaths, HIV and AIDs, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other communicable diseases, high on the global development agenda.
The UN General Assembly, today, treated the subject on Strengthening The Means of Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and
Ensuring an AIDS – Free Generation by 2030 Through the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV: A Dual Imperative for Nigeria.
President Buhari insisted that what is required in the continued fight against HIV/AIDS is improved health delivery system, education, and cheaper production of anti – retro-viral drugs through technology exchange.
“Our countries should also look at the whole field of medicare and strengthen our partnership with all stakeholders including the civil society, inter- faith and cultural bodies for education and dissemination of information at all levels.”
The Nigerian leader said that the world is on the threshold of history as world leaders adopt the successor development agenda to the Millennium Development Goals.
According to him, for over 30 years, HIV as a public health challenge has been causing havoc and untold hardship in virtually every part of the world, adding that to date, several million children have been orphaned and some communities have been devastated, while economic activities have been disrupted.
“Unfortunately, Sub -Saharan Africa bears a disproportionate burden of this epidemic. The good news is that the effort of the global community has resulted in greater control, less spread and better management.
“Furthermore, we have made significant progress towards the interception of mother to child transmission of HIV. In 2014 alone, over 3 million pregnant women were tested for HIV and 63,000 of these tested women, accessed anti – retro-viral therapy.”
President Buhari promised that Nigeria will continue to work with development partners and key stakeholders to strengthen the means of implementation of the SDGs as elaborated in the Post- 2015 Development Agenda.
He said that at the continental level, Nigeria would remain fully committed to the outcome of the Abuja process as evident in the 2002 Declaration, the Action Framework on Roll – Back Malaria.
“In addition, the 2013 Abuja + 12 Declaration is a strong commitment towards eliminating HIV and AIDs in Africa by 2030. Globally, the United Nations Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS of 2011 is a major reference point for intensifying efforts to eliminate the epidemic.
“Nigeria appreciates the support of our development partners for their support and commitment to the total eradication of HIV/AIDs, Tuberculosis and Malaria as well as other deadly communicable diseases, for example Ebola, when an epidemic arises.”
The President asked the stakeholders to work together to make HIV and AIDs history by 2030. [myad]
