Nigeria has received the sum of $890m from Global Funds for the tackling of malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said this in a statement made available by Olujimi Oyetomi, Director of Information, Media and Public relations, Ministry of Health.
According to the statement made available to Control TV, the funds will cover for a 3-year implementation period between 2021 and 2023.
Ehanire, who doubles as the chairman of the Global Fund country coordinating mechanism (CCM) for Nigeria, described the latest grant, which followed a request made to the organisation, as “the largest made to any country in this funding cycle”.
The disbursement represents 94 Percent of US$2,436,371,946 due to Nigeria from the Global Funds operations since 2002.
Ehanire said that the commitment to Nigeria was divided into four programme areas: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and resilient systems strengthening for health (RSSH).
“For the HIV/AIDS component, the Fund investment has contributed to placing 1.04 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) on treatment in Nigeria. With the support of the Fund, Nigeria has provided life-saving ARVs for 194,900 PLHIV on ART,” he said.
“The fund supported the 2018 NAIIS survey which provided precise data on the epidemic in Nigeria, confirming HIV prevalence of 1.3%.”
To date, about 120,000 cases of tuberculosis have been identified and treated, while TB services are provided in more than 12,000 health facilities he said
“We have provided 398 GeneXpert machines in 36 states and FCT,” Ehanire said.
“The Global Fund has contributed to a decline in malaria prevalence from 42% to 23% from 2010 to 2018. Eleven million long-lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets are distributed annually through mass campaigns.
“At least four million confirmed malaria cases are treated annually at public health facilities in 13 states supported by the Global Fund.
“The Fund has also built six Pharma grade medical warehouses, supported procurement of three X-ray mobile vans for screening of tuberculosis in Lagos, in addition to infrastructural upgrade of health facilities and laboratories and capacity-building for frontline health care workers under the Resilient Systems Strengthening for Health, (RSSH).”
Nigeria has contributed a cumulative sum of US$28.62 million since its inception, including USD$10 million pledged at the replenishment in Montreal, Canada, in September 2016.
At the last replenishment conference in Lyon, France, in October 2019, Nigeria increased its contribution to the Global Fund by 20% with a pledge of US$12 Million for the period 2021-2023.
(C) Control TV 2020.