By Asma’u Ahmad
The Nigeria’s Federal Government and Global Fund has signed a funding support agreement worth $71,216,215 for the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria.
A statement signed by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director, Media and Public Relations, Ministry of Health quoted the Health Minister Dr Osagie Ehanire, as saying that the support agreement covered the period between 2019 and 2020.
Dr Osagie Ehanire
It said the essence of the funding support was to increase government’s efforts in controlling TB epidemic in Nigeria. According to the statement, Global Fund had committed a total of US$ 245,997,701 to TB control response in Nigeria since the inception of its support in 2005.
The statement said that through investment and collaboration with partners, the country had treated more than one million Nigerians with Drug Resistant TB cases.
It said TB still ranks as the ninth leading cause of deaths in the country, adding, “it is a huge threat to any country like ours with high burden of the disease.”
“TB has turned many children to orphans, taken many bread winners away with severe consequences on the economy of families and that of the nation,” the statement added.
It said the federal government remained committed towards ensuring adequate budgetary allocation and release to support the TB programme in the country.
The statement also quoted the Head, Grant Management, Global Fund, Mr Mark Edington as commending the Federal Government for the prompt release of its 2018 counterpart fund for the programme.
