The House of Representatives has vowed to push and advocate that malaria drugs be subsidised if not made free by government health centers.
The Chairman of the Committee on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria control (ATM), Hon. Amobi Ogar stated this on Thursday during the inaugural meeting of the committee.
He said the committee would device a new mechanism and approach in engagements and fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria control in the country with a view to making a difference and avoiding the failures of the past.
He said: “We must seek new collaborations and partnerships in order to enhance and reinvigorate the fight against these diseases.
“Our oversight on NACA, the core Agency of the Committee must be strategic and robust to ensure they brace up to their responsibilities.
“I am also concerned by the havoc malaria is wreaking on our populace and we are going to push and advocate that Malaria drugs be subsidised if not made free at all Government Health Centers.
“It is no rocket science that most Nigerians are affected by Malaria yet access to drugs are not readily available, while the ones available are very exorbitant. My vision is to see a Nigeria where malaria drugs will be given to our people free or subsidised.”
Ogar stressed that with the alarming rate of malaria infections in the country, declaring an emergency on Malaria will not be out of place.
The committee stressed it would also address the proliferation of fake and sub-standard malaria drugs in the country with a view to identifying the sources and imposing penalties on them.