The
President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has ordered a thorough
investigation into the purported discovery of the cure for HIV.
The Federal Government has mandated the National Institute for
Medical Research and the College of Medicine, Ibadan to do proper study
of the two claims to HIV cure in Nigeria.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, disclosed this on
Monday in Ilorin at the Federal Government Town Hall meeting for the
North Central Zone.
A Nigeria university don, Prof. Maduike Ezeibe, recently claimed to have found a cure for the virus.
The minister, who was responding to questions on the position of
government on the claims, said getting a cure would be of public health
interest to the country.
According to him, Nigeria has about three million people infected
with HIV, the second highest number in the world after South Africa. The
minister, however, said that there were modalities recognised globally
for disclosure of cure which must be followed.
“What we need to do is to make sure that things are done properly.
“The process to undertake is the animal experiment to be sure it is efficacious and safe before moving to human.
“At the appointed time when we have the results, we shall come public,” he said.
Adewole said that the government was close to achieving the promise
to make 10,000 Primary Health Care (PHC) service centres available to
Nigerians.
He disclosed that the European Union was investing in 650 PHC centres and the British government was funding 950.
The minister said the FCT Administration was working to replicate
the Federal Government model of PHC centre in the 225 wards in the
territory.
On his part, the Minister of State Mines and Steel, Mr Bawa Bwari
said government had settled legal encumbrances hindering development of
the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
Bwari said that government would soon commence the process of
inviting new investors for the start-off of the company to boost
industrialisation.
(NAN).
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