The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has pledged to intensify domestic resource mobilisation strategies to ensure ownership and sustainability of the country’s HIV/AIDS response.
The Director General of the agency, Temitope Ilori, made this known in a statement obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday.
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Ms Ilori, a doctor, said the move became necessary following the executive order by President Donald Trump to reevaluate and realign United States’ foreign aid which includes a 90-day pause on foreign development assistance.
She said the development has raised significant concerns among stakeholders with regards to HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB) technical support and funding.
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One of Mr Trump’s recent executive orders temporarily halted many overseas assistance programmes, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
PEPFAR, which operates with an annual budget of $6.5 billion, has been instrumental in delivering HIV/AIDS treatment to over 20.6 million individuals in low-income countries.
In Nigeria, PEPFAR remains a major contributor to the treatment of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), covering approximately 90 per cent of the country’s treatment needs.
Over the years, PEPFAR has contributed over $6 billion to support Nigeria’s national HIV/AIDS response.
Although, a waiver by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has permitted PEPFAR to continue providing life-saving HIV medications to low-income countries, there are still concerns about the long-term stability of such funding.
Domestic resource mobilisation
Ms Ilori said over the past two decades, partners in the global AIDS response have intensively supported Nigeria to scale-up prevention, treatment, care, and support for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
She noted that the US government through PEPFAR has immensely supported Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS response, particularly in sustaining the treatment of PLHIV.
“The Nigerian government would intensify domestic resource mobilisation strategies towards ownership and sustainability of the HIV response in the country with a view to reducing the risks of donor aid policy shifts to the HIV response while ensuring that the country’s strategic goals and targets in the fight against HIV are achieved,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria can still achieve the target of ending AIDS by 2030 through effective stakeholder collaboration, favourable policies, enabling environment and advocacy to policy makers.
Accessing HIV treatment
Ms Ilori applauds the US Administration for issuing a waiver which allows the continuation of life-saving medicines and medical services, offering a reprieve for a worldwide HIV treatment programme.
She said this waiver allows for the continuous distribution of Antiretrovirals (ARVs) and medical services supported by PEPFAR in Nigeria.
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“The Nigerian government appreciates the US government waiver and is mindful of the potential change to foreign aid in the near future under the new administration.”
The NACA boss encourages the patient community to continue accessing HIV treatment services at service delivery points across the country.
She also appealed to all state governors, private sector partners, civil society organisations, the media and all other relevant stakeholders, to remain committed and continue supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS.
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