THE Federal Government is considering the creation of an internal funding mechanism in which all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would create HIV/AIDS lines of budget to consolidate the World Bank's efforts at fighting the scourge in the country.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, who stated this at a workshop on the creation of budget lines on HIV/AIDs in Federal Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs), also assured Nigerians that a separate budget will be created to fund the scourge of HIV/AIDs pandemic that is experienced in the nation.

"In order to scale up the Public sector Response, there is need to evolve an internal funding mechanism that would sustain the tempo of activities and consolidate the gains recorded from the World Bank support.

This is even more crucial when one considers the fact the HIV/AIDs is no longer considered a problem, but development and economic issue that cut across all spheres of our National lives and activities.

If the devastating effect is left unchecked, it would threaten the very existence of our future generation, which is more productive work force."

He stressed the fact that death as a result of this disease is growing by the day, which has called for the intervention of the Federal Government. So, the fight against HIV/AIDs as well as care, support and treatment in MDAs should be given attention by the Federal Government.

Dr Shamsudeen, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Jibril Zarewa, stressed the need for the MDAs to provide the much-needed financial support to HIV/AIDS units for activities and areas of intervention that would prevent further spread of the virus.

He called on MDAs to avoid discriminations amongst them but to integrate the affected people into their activities.

The Minister also assured Nigerians that the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar"Adua was ready to give all the necessary support to fight the pandemic in the workplace through provision of funds to MDAS and creation of partnership with relevant stakeholders.

The Director General of National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA), Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, in his presentation stated that external donors cannot be depend on all the time, there is need for the nation to create an internal funding for the fight against this disease.

He noted that, the North Central zone has the highest rate (6.1%) while the Ekiti State has the lowest rate of the spread of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

He noted that appropriation for HIV/AIDS through NACSA/MDAS remains minimal so there is need for the Federal government to increase the budget.