President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Health to ensure effective utilisation of Global Fund’s generous provision of $890 million, over the next three years, to support Nigeria’s fight against HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria.
President Buhari issued the directive at the virtual launch of the $890 million grant, for the period of 2021-2023, which will also support the establishment of resilient and sustainable systems for health in the country.
“Let me also emphasize here that this administration has zero tolerance for corruption and inefficient use of resources.
“In this regard, I hereby direct the Minister of Health ( Dr Osagie Ehanire) to set up an accountability framework, to monitor the use of this fund and provide periodic performance reports to my office,” he said.
The President, who assured donor agencies and development partners of judicious use of the grant, said the funding would complement investments in the health sector, help curb new infections, and reduce HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria-related morbidity and mortality.
“It is my wish that in the next three years, these three diseases are taken much further down the path of elimination,” he said.
The President also applauded the Global Fund for their contribution of the sum of $51 million during the early stages of Nigeria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to procure Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), test kits and scale up diagnostic capacity.
“I acknowledge the support of Development Partners, namely; the United States government, the United Nations System, Bilateral Agencies and various Local and International Foundations.
“I am pleased to say that, on our part, we are on track to fulfilling our co-financing commitments to the Global Fund for this new funding cycle and meeting our other commitments as and when due,” he said.
Commending the work of Nigeria’s Country Coordinating Mechanism, under the leadership of the Minister of Health, President Buhari reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
He pledged that his administration would continue to work with fellow Heads of State and Governments across the continent to ensure sustained high-level political engagement to achieve the SDG goals.
The President recounted that the strong partnership between the Government and people of Nigeria and Global Fund, dating back to 2002, had contributed immensely to saving lives, especially of women and children.
According to him over the last two decades, joint efforts with the Global Fund, the United States Government, the United Nations and other Development Partners, had succeeded in bringing about significant reduction in new infections, morbidity and mortality from HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
He attributed the improvements to the effective alignment of our various national investments, using the most recent evidence to inform policies, strategies and plans.
“The thrust of our Government in the health sector is to ensure that investments get a health systems strengthening focus, as the most efficient way to utilize available resources and position Nigeria on the path to sustainability of health programmes.
“The Minister of Health is pursuing this trajectory,” he said.
On Nigeria’s contribution to the Fund, the President announced that he approved $12 million to the last Global Fund Replenishment held in Lyon, France, representing a 20 per cent increase on the country’s immediate previous contribution.
Ladies and Gentlemen, our administration is committed to increasing domestic financing and exploring other innovative ways of increasing financing for health, to ensure Universal Health Coverage,” President Buhari said.
Speaking in his capacity as the Chair of the Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund programmes in Nigeria, Ehanire said Nigeria recently signed eight grants amounting to $890 million to support HIV, TB and Malaria programmes and build resil