The federal government has disclosed it’s plan to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and Malaria seeking sustained intervention from the global fund in consolidating its gain in the fight against the scourge .
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume stated this while receiving the delegation from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) led by the acting chairman of Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism for Nigeria, Ayo Ipinmoye.
The SSG appreciated the funding organisation for its immense contributions in stemming the tide of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in the country, the SGF asked for more intervention to enable it stamp out the dreaded diseases.
“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 eliminated, but we are very much on course- we immensely appreciate the support… We need this intervention to continue,” he said.
Also speaking, the Country Portfolio Manager (Nigeria), Dr Jean-Thomas Nouboussi, saidthe Global Fund has approved about $1 billion for Nigeria as part of its grant to assist the country in the fight against tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS for the next three years- with the implementation plan commencing from January 2024.
He said out of approximately 110 countries, Nigeria is the highest beneficiary of the Global Fund grants
He said the Global Fund is working with Country Coordinating Mechanism to ensure equitable disbursement of fund to countries affected in the fight against tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria around the globe.
He sought the support of the SGF to ensure speedy implementation of the funding to Nigeria in the fight against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
He commended the federal government for the success it has 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 feat on 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.