The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday approved two key health-sector proposals valued at about ₦10 billion to strengthen HIV treatment and improve cancer care across the country.
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The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the council meeting.
Salako said the approvals followed the presentation of two separate memos by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to support the government’s ongoing healthcare interventions.
“Today, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare presented two memos for consideration of FEC, and the two were approved,” he said.
According to him, the first approval is for the procurement of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to sustain Nigeria’s free treatment programme for people living with HIV/AIDS.
He explained that the intervention became necessary amid concerns earlier in the year that the country might face shortages of the life-saving drugs.
“We know that Nigeria has a policy of providing free drugs to people living with HIV and AIDS. Earlier in the year, there was some anxiety that Nigeria was going to run out of ARV,” Salako said.
The minister disclosed that the council approved the award of a ₦9.99 billion contract to Fixing HealthCare for the procurement of the drugs, adding that the decision would immediately address supply concerns and ensure continuity of treatment.
“With this approval, the anxiety is laid to rest,” he said.
Salako also noted that beyond addressing immediate drug needs, the approval aligns with President Tinubu’s broader objective of strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare value chain.
He explained that the contract structure would involve collaboration between a local pharmaceutical company and a global brand to gradually build domestic capacity for the production of antiretroviral medicines.
“But another significant part of this approval is that it is also being used to consolidate the programme of Mr President to unlock the healthcare value chain by giving the project to a local pharmaceutical industry that will work with a global brand so that gradually over time the capacity to manufacture ARV drugs in-country can be enhanced,” he added.
The second memo approved by the council focuses on strengthening cancer treatment services in the country.
Salako said the initiative would replace and upgrade radiotherapy equipment and provide specialised training for personnel in six cancer treatment centres located across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
“The second memo is to replace, upgrade, and provide training for cancer treatments in six of our cancer centres, one per geopolitical zone, so that radiotherapy, which is an essential part of cancer treatment, can continue in these centres,” he said.
He added that the upgrades are expected to improve access to critical cancer treatment services nationwide and ensure that modern radiotherapy facilities remain operational in key treatment centres.
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