Abuja — Federal Ministry of Defence (MoD) has set up a Committee to integrate all HIV/AIDS activities in the Ministry, to prevent duplication of activities and phase out agencies that lacked the capacity to effectively discharge their duties.

Minister of State for Defence, Mrs Fidelia Akuabata Njeze, said at the inauguration of the Committee, that she noticed on assumption of duty, that a good number of agencies and medical outfits were involved in the HIV/AIDS control programmes, but "after close examination of their operational methods and subsequent meetings with them, it became obvious that some of their activities were overlapping and that some of them lacked the capacity to effectively discharge their duties."

This, she said, was what informed her decision on the idea of integration of these agencies for better coordination, performance, capacity building and expansion. The new idea, she said, is in line with the administration's reform policy towards entrenching transparency, accountability, and observance of due process.

The 13-man Committee, which has the Director, Planning Research and Statistics in the Ministry, Dr Biodun Olorunfemi as Chairman, is expected to submit its report in two weeks.

The Committee has the following terms of reference:examine and document all existing AIDS Control Structures/Programmes in the MoD, determine the administrative structure, sources of funding and inventory of such programmes, determine scope of activities, achievements and effectiveness of existing programmes and identify areas of overlap and duplication, among others.