The action of the US President, Donald Trump to stop his country’s financial support to curb the spread of HIV AIDS across the world might have forced the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to hurriedly approved funding to support HIV treatment in Nigeria.
At the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday, the Federal Government announced that it has approved a ₦4.8 billion funding package to support HIV treatment programmes across Nigeria.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, announced this after an FEC meeting led by Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The funds will be used to procure 150,000 treatment packs for HIV patients over the next four months, the minister said.
According to Pate, this decision demonstrates the government’s commitment to protecting the health of vulnerable populations, despite decreasing international support.
“The Presidential Treatment Programme for HIV patients has been approved, with a total of N4.8 billion allocated for the procurement of 150,000 treatment packs over four months.
“This is an important signal that the federal government is committed to ensuring that life-saving treatments remain accessible, despite the changing dynamics in external support,” Pate stated.
The minister acknowledged the contributions made by the U.S. over the past two decades but stressed that Nigeria is preparing to reduce its reliance on foreign aid.
“While we greatly appreciate the contributions of the U.S. government over the last 20 years and look forward to continued collaboration, Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu is focused on transforming the health sector through national systems and domestic financing.
“Our goal is to ensure that no patient currently receiving treatment is left without care,” he said.
Mr. Pate also announced the formation of a committee responsible for developing a transition and sustainability plan to ensure the continuity of essential health programs. The committee will consist of representatives from various ministries and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
