Relief For HIV Patients As Buhari, Dangote Launch N62 Billion Trust Fund

Relief has come the way of about 1.9 million people living with HIV in Nigeria following the launch of a N62 billion trust fund to cater to their needs.

President Muhammadu Buhari launched the HIV Trust Fund of Nigeria (HTFN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Advertisement

The trust fund, which was established by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and the Nigeria Business Coalition Against AIDS, will be chaired by the Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe.

Speaking at the launch, Buhari said the trust fund will help the country confront AIDS as a public health emergency and ensure that people living with HIV get adequate treatment, while also preventing transmission of the virus from mothers to babies.

“At the last United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, I made a call for a renewed global action to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa.

“Ending AIDS as a public health threat in Nigeria will require increased domestic funding. We have continued to make good our commitment of placing more people living with HIV on treatment annually using national resources.

Advertisement

“However, strong domestic resource mobilization with an enduring partnership and shared responsibility is required to sustain the response to HIV and other emerging public health emergencies,” Buhari’s senior media adviser, Femi Adesina, quoted him to have said at the launch.

In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha disclosed about $6.2 billion has been spent on HIV response in Nigeria since 2005.

“About 80 per cent of the funds were contributed by external donors, mainly the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Private Sector contributed 0.1 per cent to 2 per cent of total funds with the rest of funds provided by the Nigerian government,” said Mustapha.

According to him, the Federal Government has sustained the treatment and financing of 50,000 people living HIV annually and expressed optimism that the trust fund will guarantee improved funding for HIV interventions.

”Since 2005, about 6.2 billion dollars has been spent on HIV response in Nigeria about 80 per cent of the funds were contributed by external donors mainly the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Private Sector contributed 0.1 per cent to 2 per cent of total funds with the rest of funds provided by the Nigerian government.”

Advertisement

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, while giving his remarks, said the mission of the private sector led fund was to mobilise resources towards eradication of AIDS in the country.

Dangote, who was the chief launcher of the trust fund, said: “I am reminded that we have 2 million of our compatriots living with HIV/AIDS and it is our collective responsibility to bring this number down to zero,” he said.

Dangote, who is Africa’s richest man, appealed to individuals and corporate organisations in the country to donate generously toward the Fund, currently chaired by Dr Herbert Wigwe, the Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc.

“We would like the private sector to work in partnership with the Federal Government on a 50-50 basis which we believe will help us eliminate Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria,” he said.

Leave a comment

Advertisement