The Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has extended a $1 billion grant to Nigeria to fight the diseases.
Country Portfolio Manager of the Fund, Dr. Jean-Thomas Nouboussi disclosed this on Thursday when he visited the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Senator George Akume.
According to him, “the Global Fund has approved about $1 billion for Nigeria as part of its grant to assist the country in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and HIV/AIDS for the next three years- with the implementation plan commencing from January 2024”.
A statement from Akume’s office quoted Dr Nouboussi as adding that out of approximately 110 countries, Nigeria is the highest beneficiary of the Global Fund grants.
Dr. Nouboussi said the Global Fund is working with Country Coordinating Mechanism in ensuring equitable disbursement of funds to affected countries in the fight against tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria around the globe, and sought the support of the SGF to ensure speedy implementation of the funding to Nigeria in the fight against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in the country.
He commended the Federal Government for the success it recorded in the fight against the three dreaded diseases, with emphasis on tuberculosis, which according to him, is one of the countries that have achieved great feats in the treatment of tuberculosis.
The Global Fund was launched in 2002 as the result of a global consensus that a new mechanism was needed to finance a massive and rapid international effort to drive back AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria – three diseases which stand as some of the greatest impediments to the sustainable development of much of the world.
Om his part, Akume sought for sustained intervention from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in consolidating its gains in the fight against the diseases.
He said; “Your intervention in TB and malaria are very much welcome. I also learnt that you also intervened in the prevalence of AIDS, I know it has really gone down, but there are some little signs that it has not yet completely been eliminated, but we are very much on course- we immensely appreciate the support. We need this intervention to continue.”
