The United States Government has announced additional $500 Million Dollars funding for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
Maria Brewer, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Nigerian US Embassy made this announcement in Abuja yesterday. She said the funding is part of US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) intervention in Nigeria.
She told Journalists that “US government had commitment more than $3.5 billion (about 580 billion naira) to the Nigeria HIV/AIDS response since the inception of the PEPFAR Nigeria programme in 2004.”
She also condemned the level of sensitisation on HIV/AIDS among youths in the country.
She said “On World AIDS Day 2014, nearly 35 years into the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, it is important to reflect on how far we have come together. Not so long ago, hospital beds were filled with dying patients.
“Thankfully, due to our strong partnerships and collective efforts, new HIV infections have dropped by half worldwide since the peak of the epidemic, and life expectancy has rebounded dramatically. Despite tremendous progress made, the HIV epidemic is not yet controlled.
“An AIDS-free generation is within our reach, but together, we must deliver the right thing in the right place at the right time.
“The right thing means focusing on the highest impact intervention. When we focus on these interventions and bring them to scale, we see tremendous results. When we fail to focus or to reach enough people, progress is slow or stalls. The right place means focusing our resources in key geographic areas, including at state and local government authority levels, and reaching the most vulnerable populations.
“The right time suggests getting ahead of any ultimately controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Continually, fighting an expanding epidemic is not logistically or financially sustainable.
“Success for the PEPFAR Nigeria program will be determined by how effectively we focus and tailor our efforts, together with our partners, to control the epidemic. With the generous support of the American people, the US government has commitment more than $3.5 billion (About N580 billion) to the Nigeria HIV/AIDS response since the inception of the PEPFAR Nigeria programme in 2004.
“The United States is not withdrawing funding from its AIDS-related programs. The US contribution to Nigeria’s National HIV Response has maintained a level of close to half a billion US dollars a year from 2012 to 2015, with an expectation to continue at the same level through 2016.
“From time to time, we review our strategy in Nigeria to focus on the highest impact interventions in key geographic areas, but we have not reduced funding for HIV/AIDS activities in Nigeria.”
As at 2012, an estimated 3,426,600 people live with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
World AIDS Day is held on the first day of December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV. The First World AIDS Day held in 1988.