NGOs seek fund arising to fight malaria, others

A Coalition of Nigerian Health NGOs on Tuesday called on donor countries to sustain their contributions to the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).

The NGOs, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Projekthope and Good Health Educators Initiative, said in a statement in Lagos that such support would assist GFATM in achieving its 2017 to 2019 replenishment target of 13 billion dollars.

According to the statement, the fund has so far provided HIV care and treatment to 7,500 Nigerians as well as treated another group of 310,000 Nigerians on tuberculosis.

The statement also said that about 93.4 million mosquito nets had so far been distributed to Nigerian families through the fund.

Nigeria, however, remains the highest beneficiary of the Global Fund with a princely portfolio of $1.43 billion since 2003.

Meanwhile, the treatment, prevention and care for these major public health challenges in Nigeria is almost entirely predicated on the funding from the Global Fund. Without the support from the Fund in Nigeria, the nation faces a crisis situation,’’ it said.

The NGOs, which commended the support of Germany, Japan and China in funding the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, however, said these countries had reduced their funding since 2010.

The NGOs described Japan’s contribution to the Global Fund as ‘’ a sure source of inspiration to all’’ with the country’s recent announcement of 800 million dollars to the Global Fund.

We commend the support of Countries like Germany, Japan and China who have been funding the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Unfortunately since 2010, we have noticed a constant shortfall with the Fund not meeting its target.

We are appealing to Germany and China to keep up their support and funding of the Fund,’’ it said.