Federal Govt Probes HIV Cure Claim

The Federal Government has mandated the National Institute for Medical Research and the College of Medicine, Ibadan to do proper study of claims of HIV cure in Nigeria.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, disclosed this on Monday in Ilorin at the Federal Government Town Hall meeting for the North Central Zone.

A Nigerian professor, 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 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.

Mr. Adewole said 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, Bawa Bwari, said government had settled legal encumbrances hindering development of the Ajaokuta Steel Company.

Mr. Bwari said that government would soon commence the process of inviting new investors for the start-off of the company to boost industrialisation.

(NAN)