The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has warned that declining international donor support could undermine progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria, urging governments to increase domestic funding for the health sector.
The call was made on Tuesday during an advocacy visit to the Kogi State House of Assembly in Lokoja, in commemoration of the 2026 World TB Day.
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World TB Day is commemorated on 24 March annually to raise awareness about TB and mobilise political commitment, resources and healthcare financing towards eliminating the disease.
This year’s theme is “Yes! We can end TB”, with the slogan “Led by countries, powered by people.”
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According to a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES, AHF’s Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Steve Aborisade, said Nigeria risks losing years of progress if urgent steps are not taken to fill funding gaps left by withdrawing donors.
Mr Aborisade noted that while significant gains have been made in HIV treatment, sustaining them will depend on increased collaboration between governments, civil society, and implementing partners.
“Unless stakeholders and the government make conscious efforts to mobilise local resources to HIV/AIDS and TB, we stand the risk of losing the gains that have been accomplished,” he said.
He stressed that although there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, treatment programmes remain effective, making sustained investment critical.
Tuberculosis
TB is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs, a condition known as pulmonary TB, but can also impact other organs, including the kidneys, spine, and brain.
The disease spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or spits. Many people carry TB in a latent form, which does not cause symptoms, but the infection can become active and potentially life-threatening if the immune system is weakened.
Groups at higher risk of developing active TB include people living with HIV, those with diabetes or undernutrition, and individuals who consume tobacco or alcohol.
Common signs of TB include a persistent cough lasting more than two weeks, coughing up blood, chest pain, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
Globally, and according to the 2024 WHO global TB report, an estimated 10.8 million people developed TB in 2023, with 1.6 million people losing their lives and 12 per cent of the global burden affecting the most vulnerable – the children and young adolescents.
Push for domestic resource mobilisation
Mr Aborisade said AHF and its partners are engaging lawmakers to ensure increased budgetary allocation for HIV and TB programmes, particularly at the state level.
According to him, reliance on foreign donors is no longer sustainable, especially as international funding declines.
“It has become expedient for Nigeria and other governments in Africa to pick up the gauntlet and bridge the gaps that may exist with the reduction in foreign donors’ support,” he said.
He added that AHF operates in 50 countries globally, including 14 in Africa, and supports HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services across seven Nigerian states.
Lawmakers pledge support
Responding, the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Aliyu Yusuf, commended AHF and its partners for their advocacy and pledged legislative support for the health sector.
Mr Yusuf who was represented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Usman Ochidi, said the engagement had provided useful insights and encouraged continued collaboration.
He urged AHF and civil society organisations to actively participate in the budget defence process to influence funding decisions.
He also called on members of the National Assembly to use legislative framework to inspire the federal government to ensure that health budgets are not only approved but released on time.
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Mr Yusuf also stressed the need for increased sensitisation and public awareness about TB and ongoing efforts to control the disease.
He also reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to supporting interventions targeting HIV/AIDS and other public health challenges.
Other stakeholders, including representatives of CSOs and health programmes, echoed concerns about the impact of shrinking donor funding on public health programmes.
They also solicited for government intervention through massive budgetary allocation to the public health sector to mitigate the withdrawal of multinational donors.
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