HIV/AIDS: FCTA laments insufficient funds

Health and Human Services Secretariat of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said it has not been able to provide sufficient anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDs patients in the territory following funding challenge.

It said the situation had resulted in its  overdependence on support from international partners and agencies.

Acting Secretary of the secretariat, Odey Achu disclosed this at a media briefing in Abuja.

She noted that the Secretariat would continue with the Federal Government’s recent upgrade of the Kuchingoro Health Centre and rehabilitate at least 12 primary healthcare centres in the territory annually, beginning from this year.

According to her, the measure would address the deplorable state of such centres in the territory.

Achu disclosed that the Secretariat closed down 66 private healthcare facilities for operating below basic standard in 2016 while 39 illegal laboratories were also sealed off.

The secretary described inadequate personnel as one of the challenges facing the secretariat in delivering adequate health services to residents of FCT.

She noted that the secretariat had captured employment scheme in its 2017 budget sent to National Assembly through FCT Administration.

She expressed optimism that the Secretariat would employ more personnel to fill in the vacancies in the service when the budged was passed and signed into law.