The Chairman of the House Committee on Infectious Diseases, Amobi Godwin Ogah, has vowed that the National Assembly will intensify oversight of Global Fund grants and public health interventions across Nigeria to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of donor funds.

Ogah gave the assurance during an oversight visit by the committee to the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme, the Society for Family Health, the National Malaria Elimination Programme, and the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Control Programme in Abuja.

Addressing members of the committee, management teams, stakeholders and the media during the visit, the lawmaker commended officials of the programmes for their efforts in combating tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases in the country.

He, however, stressed the urgent need for prudent management of public health resources, especially in view of the prevailing economic challenges confronting Nigerians.

According to the committee chairman, all recipients of The Global Fund grants would henceforth be required to submit their implementation plans to the National Assembly for approval, alongside quarterly reports detailing their activities and expenditures.

Ogah noted that the measure was aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and effective utilization of donor funds in the health sector.

“The era of business as usual is over,” he declared, warning that every resource mobilized for public health interventions must be judiciously utilized for the benefit of Nigerians.

The lawmaker also expressed concern over the absence of a drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment centre in the Federal Capital Territory, describing the development as unacceptable to the Parliament of Nigeria.

He emphasized that the National Assembly, through its committees, possesses constitutional powers to demand documents and information from ministries, agencies, parastatals and non-governmental organizations in order to effectively discharge its oversight responsibilities.

Ogah further stated that the House Committee on Infectious Diseases would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and development partners to achieve Nigeria’s target of ending major public health threats by 2030.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the committee to strengthening the nation’s healthcare response system and ensuring that donor-funded interventions deliver measurable impact to citizens across the country.