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FG will strengthen domestic funding to sustain HIV response, says NACA

Janet Ogundepo

Amid concerns over the recently reversed decision to halt U.S. funding and support for HIV treatment in Nigeria, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS has reassured Nigerians that the Federal Government will strengthen domestic resource mobilisation to ensure ownership and sustainability of the country’s HIV response.

NACA’s response, which was contained in a statement signed by its Director General, Dr Temitope Ilori, is coming on the heels of the executive order by the US President, Donald Trump, to halt funding for at least 90 days pending a review.

However, on Wednesday, the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, approved an Emergency Humanitarian Waiver that allows people living with HIV to continue accessing treatment funded by the US government across 55 countries worldwide including Nigeria.

UNAIDS stated that the waiver approves the continuation or resumption of “life-saving humanitarian assistance,” which applies to core life-saving medicine and medical services, including HIV treatment and supplies necessary to deliver such assistance.

PUNCH Healthwise earlier reported that the funding, under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and disbursed by the US State Department, could adversely affect the availability of drugs and testing kits, leading to a possible increase in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in Nigeria.

More than 20 million people living with HIV, representing two-thirds of all people living with HIV receiving treatment globally, are directly supported by PEPFAR.

In Nigeria, HIV is still a major public health problem with about two million Nigerians currently living with the infection and many of them benefitting from PEPFAR.

A new survey by the NACA indicates that Nigeria has an HIV prevalence of 1.3 per cent.

NACA also notes that Nigeria has the highest number of people living with HIV in West and Central Africa, adding that international support has been critical in sustaining its HIV/AIDS response.

The agency’s DG also confirmed that PEPFAR currently funded about 90 per cent of Nigeria’s HIV treatment programs.

Ilori added that the waiver on the order offered “a reprieve for a worldwide HIV treatment programme. This waiver allows for the continuous distribution of HIV medications and medical services supported by PEPFAR in Nigeria.”

NACA appreciated the US government’s waiver, stating that it was mindful of the potential change to foreign aid under the new administration.

NACA’s DG said, “Govt would intensify domestic resource mobilisation towards ownership and sustainability of the HIV response in the country to reduce 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. Through effective stakeholder collaboration, creating favourable policies and enabling environment and advocacy to policymakers. Nigeria can still achieve the target of ending AIDS by 2030.

“We encourage the patient community to continue accessing HIV treatment services in service delivery points across the country and appeal to all out State Governors, private sector partners, all the honourable members of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, civil society organisations the media and all other relevant stakeholders, to continue in their commitment and support to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.”

She reassured patients that treatment services remained available and encouraged them to continue accessing care at service delivery points across the country.

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The post FG will strengthen domestic funding to sustain HIV response, says NACA appeared first on Healthwise.

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