Monday, July 17, 2017

America gives Nigeria $4.3 billion to tackle HIV in Nigeria

The US government support for HIV/AIDS programmes in Nigeria totalled $4.3 billion between 2014 and 2016 with more than 700,000 patients treated in 2016 alone.

Charge D Affairs U.S Mission in Nigeria, Mr David Young who disclosed this in Abuja. Young who made the call at the commissioning and official handing over of Jikoko Community Health Centre project supported by U.S. Ambassador’s small Grant Programme in Bwari Local Council Area, Abuja, said over $23 million is contributed annually to immunisation activities in Nigeria. 

The envoy said the US through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, made annual contribution of $7.35 million to support Nigeria polio programme.” “In addition to the annual contribution the polio programme also received an additional seven million dollars at the national level in 2016 and provided technical assistance in Bauchi, Katsina and Sokoto States. 

“The U.S. Government is appreciated of our work with the National Primary Health Development Agency, the UN agencies, state governments as well as National Stop Transmission of Polio programme and GAVI alliance. “We urged them to strengthen this work to kick out polio out of Nigeria. Nigeria is the only country in Africa that is still on the endemic list of polio.” 

He said health workers are encouraged to continue to make the provision and demand for immunisation a priority, and that health of children is the future of the family, community and the country in general. The envoy said U.S. always cooperates with other partners and government to make a difference in Nigeria.

He expressed confident that the commissioning of the health centre in the community would contribute towards the goal to kick out polio. “The commissioning of the clinic was an indication that “health is one of the priority areas of U.S. development assistance in Nigeria.”

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