NIGERIA: Govt reaffirms AIDS commitment

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday underscored his commitment to tackling infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

The president also stressed the importance of external assistance in his country's fight against the three diseases, saying, "Although the prevalence rate of HIV has been further reduced to a national average of 4.4 percent, much more could be done by stakeholders."

Obasanjo made the statement at a meeting in the capital, Abuja, with Richard Feachem, outgoing executive director of the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Some US$50 million in Global Fund grants was recently suspended as a result of Nigeria's failure to meet performance targets.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]