TheCable

Nigeria has received a grant of $890 million from the Global Fund, which will be focused on reducing the impact of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, who disclosed this on Tuesday, said the fund will cover an implementation period of three years — from 2021 to 2023.

A statement by Olujimi Oyetomi,
director of information, media and public relations, ministry of health, noted that the grant will fund health-related initiatives all across the country.

According to the statement, Ehanire, who is also 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”.

With the latest development, Nigeria has now accessed 94 percent of US$2,436,371,946, which is the total amount committed by the Global Fund’s to operations in Nigeria since inception in 2002.

Ehanire explained that the commitment to Nigeria was split 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%.”

He noted that about 120,000 cases of tuberculosis have been identified and treated, while TB services are provided in more than 12,000 health facilities.

“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).”

The minister also highlighted Nigeria’s contributions to fund-replenishment meetings of the Global Fund, “with 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.”

He added that 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.”

The Global Fund brings together countries, private sector participants, and other stakeholders in order to pool resources aimed at addressing health challenges regarding AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.