On the 30th September, the Aids Tuberculosis and Malaria Control Committee arranged for Honorable Abubakar Dahiru Sarki and members of the Nigeria TB Caucus to meet a selected group from the AHF-Nigeria Girls Act cohort to discuss their experiences and challenges.
12 parliamentarians including Honorable Abubakar Sarki Dahiru, RT. Hon Darlington Nwokocha, Honorable Mustapha m. Saidu, Honorable Abdullahi Abdulkadir, Honorable Abubakar Umoru, Honorable Salisu Isansi, Hon Samuel Godday, Hon. Dr. Tanko Sununu, Hon. Dr. Martins Oke, Hon. Ari Mohammed, Hon. Bala Kokani, and Hon. Danjuma Shiddi were among the 23 attendees.
During the meeting led by Steve Aborisade, Advocacy and Marketing Manager of AHF Nigeria, the Nigeria Girls Act members expressed the need for parliamentarians to ensure the provision of adequate water and toilet facilities in schools, provision of free sanitary pads, and to support lowering the minimum age for access to sexual and reproductive health and TB services.
It was stressed by the Global TB Caucus secretariat representative, Deborah Ogwuche, Francophone / Nigeria Regional Manager, that in order to effectively address the basic needs of girls, the foundation of the health system must be strengthened through action on the commitments made at the 2018 United Nations High Level Meeting on TB (UNHLM).
Referring to the upcoming 2020 International Day of the Girl Child and to commitments made at the UNHLM, the parliamentarians reiterated dedication to using their platforms, networks and voices in legislation and parliamentary debates to advance progress towards achieving the UN HLM targets in the fight against TB in Nigeria and improving the welfare of the girl child as a valued part of society deserving of unobstructed access to basic needs that allow them to thrive