Budget: People with HIV threaten to protest at National Assembly

 

(Not actual picture)

The Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria has threatened to stage a protest at the National Assembly over the slashing of the budget provided for HIV people.

The National Coordinator of NEPWHAN, Mr. Victor Omoshehin, said this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

The association also called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to sign the recently passed budget until the National Assembly replaces items it tempered with in the budget.

The N14bn budget proposed by the executive for HIV/AIDS treatment in 2016 was pruned down to N800m by the legislators.

The group queried the rationale behind the reduction in the budget to provide drugs for the about 3.5 million HIV/AIDS living with the virus while it could conveniently approve over N3bn to buy cars for itself.

Omoshehin said it was appalling that the legislators could so afford to toy with the lives of the Nigerian people, especially the young ones living with HIV/AIDS.

He said, “The President should not assent to the bill because the peoples’ concerns have not been addressed. President Muhammadu Buhari should not sign this budget that the national assembly has made provision of N3.6  billion to buy exotic cars while they just allocate N1.5 billion to care for people living with HIV.

 "We cannot continue to depend on from partners. We are Nigerians and not Americans. We pay our taxes to the Federal and state government of Nigeria. So, Nigerian government should take responsibility of the people living with HIV in the country."