Buhari order prudent spending of $890m foreign health grant

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday ordered prudent spending of the $890 million foreign aid in support of Nigeria’s health sector for tackling certain infectious diseases. President Buhari at the virtual launch of the $890 million grant for a period of three years, 2021-2023, specifically, ordered the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, to ensure transparent and judicious utilisation of the interventionist Global Fund of $890 million to assist Nigeria’s commitment to eradicate HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria in the country.

The President promised the donor agencies and development partners of judicious use of the grant. He acknowledged that the funding would complement investments in the health sector, assist in preventing new infections, and minimise HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria-related morbidity and mortality.

President Buhari declared: “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 to set up an accountability framework, to monitor the use of this fund and provide periodic performance reports to my office.

“It is my wish that in the next three years, these three diseases are taken much further down the path of elimination.”

The President commended the Global Fund for 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,” the President said.

President Buhari commended the Nigeria’s Country Coordinating Mechanism, under the leadership of the Minister of Health, he reassured of Nigeria’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The President recalled the strong partnership between the Government, the people of Nigeria and Global Fund, dating back to 2002, saying that the partnership contributed tremendously to saving lives, especially, of women and children.

The Nigerian president remarked that over the last two decades, joint efforts with the Global Fund, the United States Government, the United Nations, and other Development Partners, had resulted in significant reduction in new infections, morbidity, and mortality from HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

“The thrust of our Government in the health sector is to ensure that investments get health systems strengthening focus, as the most efficient way to utilize available resources and position Nigeria on the path to the sustainability of health programmes.

“The Minister of Health is pursuing this trajectory,” Buhari said.

The President Buhari disclosed that he approved $12 million for Nigeria’s contribution to the Fund at the Global Fund Replenishment held in Lyon, France, representing a 20 per cent increase on the country’s immediate previous contribution.

The President said, “Our administration is committed to increasing domestic financing and exploring other innovative ways of increasing financing for health, to ensure Universal Health Coverage.”

The Health Minister, Ehanire, Chair of the Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund programmes in Nigeria, disclosed that Nigeria recently signed eight grants of a total sum of $890 million to support HIV, TB, and Malaria programmes and build resilient and sustainable systems for health.

He explained that two of the facilities are for HIV management, costing $310 million, saying that this will be administered by two principal recipients namely the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and Family Health International.

The Minister said that $180 million of the $310 million was earmarked for procurement of antiretroviral medicines, which will maintain 1.4 million Nigerians living with HIV on lifesaving antiretroviral treatment.

The Health Minister also clarified  that three of the grants, in the sum of $153 million, are for TB, to be administered by three principal recipients including the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme, the Institute for Human Virology in Nigeria, and the Lagos State Ministry of Health.

The Minister further explained that two of the grants for malaria elimination, at the cost of $439 million will be administered by two principal recipients – the National Malaria Elimination Programme and the Catholic Relief Services while the eighth and final grant worth USD 35 million for Resilient System for Sustainable Health (RSSH) has NACA as principal recipient.

The Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S Embassy in Nigeria, Kathleen FitzGibbon, had described Nigeria’s recent contribution to the Global Fund as an important commitment to end all three diseases and to ensure a healthy and prosperous country.

Kathleen FitzGibbon said, “We hope the achievements made in Nigeria in the fight against HIV, TB, and Malaria, with support from the Global Fund, will inspire and motivate health workers and other partners alike.”