Guardian

WHO launches action plan against hepatitis

NIGERIA yesterday urged domestic funding to fight the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Africa.

The country’s position was articulated by the Director General, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Prof. .

Also, researchers have commenced a large, multinational clinical trial to test the effectiveness and extended safety of a vaginal ring containing an experimental antiretroviral drug to prevent HIV infection in women.

The experiment was presented at the ongoing AIDS conference in Washington DC yesterday  under the theme “A Study to Prevent Infection with a Ring for Extended Use” (ASPIRE) . It aims to determine whether the drug (dapivirine) can safely prevent HIV infection when continuously released in the vagina from a silicone ring replaced once a month.

Besides, ahead of the World Hepatitis Day on July 28, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched an action plan against hidden hepatitis (an inflammation of the liver).

The WHO yesterday announced measures to fight the “hidden epidemic” of hepatitis which kills more than one million people a year. The United Nations (UN) health agency told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland that the virus, which settles in the liver causing inflammation, affects 500 million people worldwide but can go unnoticed for years and even decades.

In a United States President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) panel-inspired discussions on country ownership yesterday at the 19th International AIDS Conference (IAC) in Washington DC, Idoko said that the  domestic funding  of efforts especially in Africa to  check HIV/AIDS had become necessary.

He cited the 2001 Abuja declaration and 2011 United Nations Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS that stressed greater efforts by African leaders to look inwards for ownership and sustainability to end the epidemic and ensure universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services.

The NACA DG said: “The issue of ownership is extremely important because that partnership we had talked about actually underscores the need for a shared responsibility.”

According to him, a country-owned response harnesses diversified systems, capacities and financing arrangements and hinges on the principles of shared responsibility and mutual accountability.

Idoko cited a set of core elements for a country-owned response to include strong political engagement and inclusive leadership, full engagement of civil society, communities and people living with HIV.

He said also that high-quality strategic information, robust national strategic plans with smart investment decisions, effective coordination, capacity development, integration of HIV into health and development strategies were essential elements.

Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho said hindrances to the quest for greater country ownership included the flattening of donor funding toward the AIDS response.

The United Nations Government Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Eric Grosby urged countries to develop solid and transparent management and accountability frameworks for all stakeholders in the AIDS programmes.

He said that many countries lacked sufficient data and information concerning their HIV epidemics and responses especially for data relating to performance, impact and cost-effectiveness and epidemiological data that were needed to design and update effective and focused AIDS response.