TheCable

The Global Fund has approved $1 billion to help Nigeria in its fight against tuberculosis (TB), malaria and HIV in the next three years.

In a statement on Thursday, Willie Bassey, director information, office of the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), said the fund will cover the next three years with the implementation plan commencing from January 2024.

He said the approval was announced by Jean-Thomas Nouboussi, the Global Fund portfolio manager in Nigeria, during a visit to George Akume, the SGF.

In 2020, Nigeria received a grant of $890 million from the Global Fund to help reduce the impact of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

The fund was meant to cover an implementation period of three years — from 2021 to 2023.

Bassey said Nouboussi commended the federal government for the success recorded in the fight against the three health challenges, particularly, tuberculosis.

Nouboussi also sought the support of the SGF to ensure the speedy implementation of the fund.

“Global Fund is working with country coordinating mechanism in ensuring equitable disbursement of fund to countries affected in the fight against tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria around the globe,” the statement reads.

Responding, Akume thanked the organisation for contributing to stemming the tide of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Nigeria.

“Your intervention in TB and malaria are very much welcome. I also learnt that you also intervened against AIDS. I know it has really gone down, but there are some little signs that it has not yet been eliminated,” he said.

The SGF assured that his office would continue to collaborate with the organisation to ensure the implementation of the intervention.