Lagos — HIV & AIDS and malaria were among the issues discussed during a meeting between President Umaru Yar'Adua and President George Bush of United States of America last week at the White House.

Bush observed that Yar'Adua is "strongly committed to helping Nigerian families affected by these diseases get treatment and help." He added that the U. S is committed through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to help fight the spread of HIV in the country.

About three million Nigeria 's 140 million people are living with HIV&AIDS, the third highest HIV&AIDS caseload worldwide.

About 10 per cent of people in need of treatment have access to it, according to the group Action Aid. Nigeria's National Action Committee on AIDS in September announced that the country has tripled its number of HIV treatment centers during the past year, enabling about 135,000 HIV positive people in the country to access antiretroviral drugs. The country did not meet its target of providing 250,000 HIV positive people with treatment access by the end of 2006.

Bush said that he would ask Congress to double funding levels for PEPFAR "because we believe it's in our interests to help Nigeria address HIV &AIDS". In addition, Bush said that the U.S. from a security and moral perspective should help Nigeria combat malaria and HIV&AIDS. Yar'Adua said that Nigeria is extremely grateful, adding that, his discussion with Bush has given him hope.