U.S. Approves Emergency HIV Treatment Support for Nigeria and 54 Other Countries
The U.S. government has approved an “emergency humanitarian waiver” to continue funding HIV treatment in 55 countries, including Nigeria.
When former U.S. President Donald Trump took office, he ordered a pause on funding for HIV treatment in developing countries as part of a foreign aid policy change.
As a result, the U.S. Department of State stopped releasing money from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that provides HIV treatment for over 20 million people worldwide, including 566,000 children under 15 in Nigeria.
However, on January 29, the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) announced that the U.S. had approved a waiver, allowing HIV-positive individuals to continue receiving treatment.
“UNAIDS welcomes this waiver from the U.S. government, which ensures that millions of people with HIV can continue to access life-saving medication. This decision highlights PEPFAR’s crucial role in the fight against AIDS and brings hope to those affected,” the statement read.
Toyin Aderibigbe, spokesperson for Nigeria’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), thanked the U.S. government for the waiver but noted that Nigeria must prepare for possible future changes in foreign aid policies.
In a statement, Aderibigbe emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to funding its own HIV response programs to reduce reliance on international donors. He added that by working with stakeholders, creating supportive policies, and advocating for government support, Nigeria can still achieve the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
Aderibigbe also acknowledged PEPFAR’s major role in Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS fight, stating that PEPFAR remains the largest donor, covering nearly 90% of HIV treatment costs in the country.