The Global Fund is expected to raise eighteen billion dollars for HIV, TB and malaria during its Refurbishment Conference later this month.
Global Fund Portfolio Manager for Nigeria, Dr. Jean-Thomas Nouboussi while giving the update at a pre refurbishment meeting in Abuja, said that the fund is needed to save twenty more lives, avert new infections, catalyse domestic investment and yield return on investment.
“44 million lives saved so far by Global Fund and Global Fund needs to raise eighteen billion dollars replenishment fund to cover HIV, TB and malaria. We spend Four million USD annually in Nigeria,” he said.
Dr Nouboussi, encouraged member states and partners to prepare for the meeting and be ready to make commitments.
On her part, Global Fund International Linda Mafu, said the agency was excited to work with Nigeria. She noted that investing in health guarantees economic stability.
The World Health Organisation Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Mulombo, said that more investment was needed to meet the needs in health security. He noted that the 7th Refurbishment Meeting is a welcome development.
“Investment, research and multi sectorial investment is required towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals,” Dr. Mulombo said.
He urged governments and donors to invest heavily in the 7th replenishment to raise the needed amount.
The Nigerian minister of state for health, Mr Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, while commending the Global Fund for all its assistance to Nigeria, said that the country must all resolve to close the funding gap.
He said the 18 million, if realized will help in addressing public health challenges in Nigeria. Nigeria is committed to filling its resource commitment.
The Director General of the National Agency for the Control of Aids, Dr. Gambo Aliyu, said that Global fund investment has been utilized in ways and manners that produced results in Nigeria.
“This partnership that has been on in the last twenty years in Nigeria, has not been without challenges but there were more successes,” Dr. Aliyu said.
He noted that NACA, as the biggest beneficiary on the government’s part, reaffirms its commitment to more successes and overcoming the challenges.
The DG also said that enormous strides have been made by the Global Fund in the prevention of HIV, malaria and TB in Nigeria.
“Access to HIV services in every corner of Nigeria is guaranteed and to sustain the efforts, all stakeholders must fight for what is right.”
He added that the successes recorded in the last two years of post COVID-19 has given the confidence that Nigeria is on the right track.
There were goodwill messages from the US government, government of Kenya, Governors’ Forum, Commissioners of Health forum and civil societies. All pledging support for the need to raise the needed amount.
They agreed that Global fund has achieved what was said to be impossible.And that for each dollar invested in public health, there’s a great return on investment.
The Theme of the 7th Refurbishment Meeting to be held on September 19th 2022 in New York is, Fight for what counts.
