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FEC budgets N4.8bn for HIV treatment

 

By Cross Udo, Abuja

 

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) announced yesterday that it has approved N4.8bn for the treatment of HIV patients.

The approval is coming on the heels of the recent plan by the President of America, Donald Trump, to suspend financial assistance to countries for HIV treatment, among others.

The Council also approved $1bn for health governance and human capital development, which the subnationals are expected to tap into.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Council meeting presided by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Minister said the N4.8bn approval would be for four months to ensure that those who are HIV infected are taken care of despite the contribution of partners.

He said, “The second primary approval is for the Presidential treatment program for HIV patients, 150,000 treatment packs, a total of N4.8bn for four months. That is an important statement that the federal government is making to ensure that those who are already HIV infected, even though we have partners that are supporting the treatment.

“But the federal government is already putting its resources to contribute, and we see that that is a signal that the government is providing support to those who are vulnerable to reduce the cost and to ensure that lifesaving treatment is available.”

On the recent position of the US policy to suspend giving assistance to countries with HIV, Tuberculosis, and malaria, among others, he said the government was looking towards transforming the health sector through domestic financing.

He said a committee with members from the Ministries of Finance, Budget, Defence, Environment, and the Nigeria Governors Forum has been established to develop a sustainability plan.

According to him, “The third element is a discussion that Council had regarding the US government’s policy pronouncements on development assistance and the implications on the health of Nigerians, HIV, TB, and Malaria.

“And while we significantly appreciate all the contributions of the US government over the last 20 years, and We continue to look forward to a constructive relationship and partnership with the US government in the period ahead, the Nigerian government, under the President, is looking towards transforming the sector that is nationally on using national systems and using domestic financing, as well as other sources of funding, to ensure that those who are in treatment do not lose the therapy that they are already on.

“And accordingly, the Council agreed that a committee comprising the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, as well as the governor’s forum, to start looking at the transition and sustainability plan, because the US government is going through its 90-day reviews, so that is hope on the way, in a way that will allow us to adjust the policy breaking of the US government seamlessly.

“While Nigeria appreciates and looks forward to a constructive relationship with the direction that the US government is taking, those are the three main things that I would like to report.”

On approving $1 billion for the health sector, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare said, “I think there are three key decisions Monday (yesterday) under Mr. President. First is what the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy reported the HOPE programme.

“But there are two other elements that I will also add to the first. Hope Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity is a program that is very much in line with the direction of this administration, which is to focus on investing in Nigerians’ human capital.

“People are the centre of the Renewed Hope Agenda, health, Education, and social protection. With the International Development Association and the leadership of the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, technical ministries work with the International Development Association to develop this program for results.$1,000,000,000, $500m for governance, and $500m for primary healthcare, with the additional grant finances of $70m and some more that is outside that envelope.

“The governance phase is to improve the financial and human resource management for health and Education at the sub-national level. It is a programme for results, an instrument of the international government association, and all states of the federation can draw down from this facility to incentivize recruitment, training, placement, and retention of teachers for the education side and primary healthcare workers for the health side.

“The $500m credit for primary healthcare is to improve the quality, utilization, and resilience of the primary healthcare system, which would be expanding the primary healthcare system.

“The transformation already on the way is the health sector renewal investment initiative, which the President unveiled in 2023. This will build on that, accelerate that transformation, and expand primary healthcare, including strategically purchasing emergency maternal and child health services to free services.

“So, we have $500m that states can tap into under this programme. In addition, there are grant finances, $70m from the global financing facility, for an additional $360m in grant financing from all the dollars. That is not part of this package, but it is part of the support for the reform that mister president has been leading as part of building Nigeria’s human capital.”

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