Hon. Amobi Ogah Moves For Free, Subsidized Malaria Drugs In Hospitals
The member representing Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State, and the Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control, Hon. Amobi Ogah, has said that making malaria drugs free or subsidized in all Federal Government owned hospitals will help curb the menace caused by malaria.
This he said during the inauguration of the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control (ATM) on Thursday.
While addressing the Committee, Hon. Ogah noted that the Committee on ATM is saddled with the responsibility to formulate legislative measures for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, coordinating and harmonizing activities of Government and non – Governmental Agencies on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria generally to ensure effectiveness of the efforts at HIV/AIDS and Malaria control, remedy and cure for Aids patients, oversight of all agencies under our jurisdiction and annual Budget estimates among other responsibilities pursuant to Standing Order 20 Rule 52 of the House of Representatives, 10th edition.
The speech reads;
‘I am delighted and honored to welcome Honorable Members of the Committee on ATM to the Inaugural meeting of the Committee and I assure you that at the end of our tenure in this 10th National Assembly, we will not regret our membership of this committee.
Following my appointment as the substantive Chairman of the Committee by Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas in the 10th National Assembly, I have done extensive research in the area of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. I have also had interface and interactive meetings with key stakeholders within our purview and I must say to you all, there is work to be done.
My vision is to adopt a holistic approach towards the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in our Country. We are going to device new mechanism and approach in our
engagements and fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria control in our Country with a view to making a difference and avoid the failures of the past.
We must seek new collaborations and partnerships in order to enhance and reinvigorate the fight against these diseases. Our oversight on NACA, the core Agency of the Committee must be strategic and robust to ensure they brace up to their responsibilities.
I am also concerned by the havoc Malaria is wrecking on our populace and we are going to push and advocate that Malaria drugs be subsidized if not made free at all Government Health Centers. It is no rocket science that most Nigerians are affected by Malaria yet access to drugs are not readily available, while the ones available are very exorbitant.
My vision is to see a Nigeria where malaria drugs will be given to our people free or subsidized. With the alarming rate of Malaria infections in our country, declaring emergency on Malaria will not be out of place.
We will also address the proliferation of fake and sub-standard Malaria drugs in our country with a view to identifying the sources and imposing penalties on them. It is our duty to protect our people, since we are their representatives. Therefore, producers and distributors of fake and sub-standard Malaria drugs will have no hiding place under our watch.
To achieve all our objectives, we are ready to partner and collaborate with relevant MDAs, Donor Agencies and NGOs. We will critically look into the operations and processes of the Global Fund in relation to their intervention mechanism in the fight against HIV/AIDS. I assure you that we are ready to move mountains to ensure we succeed.
I therefore charge my Honorable Colleagues to brace up as we must put in the shift to ensure we leave this place better than we met it. On this score, I solicit your maximum cooperation and
support to ensure we attain and surpass our goals and objectives, while I assure you that you will all be carried along in the activities of the Committee.”
