Making Global Fund Investments Work for Nigeria: The Global Fund donates equipment worth over US$57 million to support HIV and TB programs in Nigeria
On Tuesday, 19th March 2024, Family Health International (FHI 360) successfully facilitated a ceremony to handover vehicles and equipment estimated at US$57.5 million which were procured by The Global Fund to support state governments’ oversight of integrated HIV and Tuberculosis programs across the 36 states of the country.
The donations which were officially unveiled and handed over to the federal government of Nigeria included 72 units of Toyota Hilux vehicles, 333 units of Quatro TrueNat machines, 100 units of TB-Lamp machines, 350 units of mobile digital X-Ray machines 45 units of the Class II Biological Safety Cabinet and 2 units Mobile Chest X – Ray. Some of the equipment had already been deployed to supported government facilities in the country. This gesture is in line with efforts towards devolving the response ownership from the central government to the states and local government consistent with the National Alignment 2.0 agreements.
In each of their remarks, FHI 360 Ag Country Director, Mr. Victor Ogbodo and FHI 360 Project Director, Global Fund GC6 HIV grant, Ms. Christiana Laniyan, stated that the need to expand coverage for Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and Tuberculosis programs in Nigeria resulted in the Global Fund’s approval to reprogram savings on the grant for procurement of the vehicles, and the laboratory diagnostic equipment.
Key implementing partners of TB and HIV programs at the occasion took turns to present their goodwill messages, acknowledging The Global Fund supports in moving the dial of progress for the HIV/TB response forward over the past two decades while also acknowledging that the donations is a key strategy for promoting sustainability, system strengthening and integration towards a stronger and more resilient health systems for alleviating the burden of Tuberculosis/HIV epidemics in the country.
In his remarks, The Global Fund Head of Grant Management, Mark Edinton disclosed that the Nigeria’s remarkable achievements towards reaching the UNAID 95-95-95 goals and in the active Tuberculosis case finding in the past three years, motivated more investments from The Global Fund. He, therefore, urged all stakeholders to work collaboratively in translating the donations into impactful life-saving services for the citizens.
Receiving the donations on behalf of the Federal Government, the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa confirmed that the donation will certainly be of great support in the national response to Tuberculosis and HIV.
2) Improved population health outcomes,
3) Unlocking healthcare value chain and
4) Health Security for Nigerians,”
Dr. Alausa stated.