Nigeria gets $890m Global Funds grants for HIV, TB, Malaria

By Dan-Maryam Zayamu

The Federal Government has received $890 million grant from Global Funds to be implemented over period three years beginning from 2021-2023.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this in Abuja, on Tuesday.

This is even as Global Fund has so far invested $2,585,537,824 in Nigeria since its inception in the past 18 years ago.

The money was invested in four areas including HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), Malaria and Resilient Systems Strengthening for Health, (RSSH).

The breakdown of the over 2.5 billion dollars received by Nigeria over the years included HIV/AIDS -874,801,962; Tuberculosis- 338,655,681; Malaria -1,168,613,356; RSSH- 44,178,974 and TB/HIV- 10,421,972.

He explained that: “Global Fund conducts fund replenishment meetings every three years where it mobilizes contributions from governments, private sector and philanthropists to support its public health programmes around the globe.

“Nigeria also contributes at these events and has so far contributed a cumulative sum of US$28.62 million to the Global Fund 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.”

While making the announcement of the receipt of the new grant that will commence from 2021- 2023, Ehanire said: “The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has approved the sum of US$890 million to support Nigeria’s HIV, TB, Malaria and Health Systems Strengthening Programmes.

“With this amount, Nigeria’s grant is reportedly the single highest allocation to any country and a demonstration of The Global Fund’s confidence in the administration and programmes of President Muhammadu Buhari, and in his pledge to make the most judicious use of the resources for the improvement of health outcomes for Nigerians, especially the poor and vulnerable.

“This grant will complement the investment of the Government of Nigeria and of other development partners in HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria programmes, including the Resilient and Sustainable System for Health, over the period 2021-2023.

“The approval of this grant came following the review of the proposal that CCM Nigeria submitted on 23rd March 2020, which was adjudged to be technically sound and strategically focused by the independent Technical Review Panel of the Global Fund.”

The Minister revealed that some of the achievements of the Global Fund investments in Nigeria include: “For the HIV/AIDS component, the Fund investment has contributed to placing of 1.04 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) on treatment in Nigeria and also provided life-saving ARVs for 194,900 PLHIV on ART.

“On the TB programme, with the support of the Fund, about 120,000 TB cases are identified and treated annually since the inception while TB services are provided in more than 12,000 health facilities. We have provided 398 GeneXpert machines in 36 states and FCT.

“For malaria, the Global Fund has contributed to a decline in malaria prevalence from 42% to 23% from 2010 – 2018. 11 million Long Lasting Insecticide Treated mosquito nets are distributed annually through mass campaigns, among other achievements”