The summit holding in Abuja, Nigeria is to review progress made in the last 12 years in handling HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB.

A special summit of the African Union, AU, to work out more proactive action on universal access to the protection and treatment for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, opened in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, yesterday, July 15, 2013, The Guardian newspaper said.

The summit is to review progress made since a similar gathering 12 years ago, the African Union said in an announcement on its website. Other objectives are to evaluate and identify factors that underpin the persistent burden of HIV, TB and malaria on the continent as well as the status of health financing. Leaders are also expected to commit themselves to the implementation of innovative and sustainable health financing initiatives.

The summit will among others, articulate Africa’s position to put health at the core of development in relevant global forums especially the ongoing dialogue on defining the post 2015 development agenda. The event that ends today, July 16, 2013, is jointly organised by the Nigerian government, the AU, U.N. and development partners and has as theme, “Ownership, Accountability and Sustainability of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Response in Africa: Past, Present and the Future.’’

At a special session of the Permanent Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria that held over the weekend to prepare the summit, different countries admitted that despite successes recorded, much remains to be done. The Chairperson of the Committee, Ambassador Kongit Sinegiorgis, noted that gaps still exist in terms of access to HIV prevention, treatment, social protection, care and support, resource mobilisation, as well as in strengthening the systems of service delivery, sustainable financing, governance and leadership.

According to the Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Programme of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Fatoumata Nafo-Traore, the biggest challenges facing Africa are the double-edged problems of financing shortfall and resistance to insecticides. The AU in 2001 organised a similar summit in Abuja. The leaders then pledged, among other things, to make the fight against HIV/AIDS the highest priority in their national development plans. They also promised to allocate at least 15 per cent of their annual budgets to improving the health sector.