The Global Fund’s Grant Cycle 7 (GC7) earmarked $933 million for implementation of HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria interventions in Nigeria within the years 2024 to 2026.
Out of this, $340,095,438 is on the HIV grant while the National AIDS Control Agency (NACA) will receive $10,663,394 for the purpose of coordinating the multisectoral response to HIV.
The first release of funds for the GC7 grant commenced with a retreat for the newly established Project Monitoring Unit (PMU). It was expected that the idea of the four-day retreat would help introduce new team members, remind them of previous achievements, evaluate work and think about possible changes and relevant measures for further tasks.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Temitope Ilori, director-general of NACA, mentioned some impressive results of the GC6 grant.
From what Dr Ilori said, it means these accomplishments include devising how to train healthcare personnel, how best to equip laboratories and how to adopt capable ways of satisfying any community. She encouraged the participants to continue to seek more common ground in addressing HIV issues on the strengths achieved.
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“While we celebrate these remarkable achievements, we must task ourselves to improve upon our past efforts by being efficient and intentional in sustainably addressing the public health challenges of HIV through the use of reliable data for effective decision-making.” Dr Ilori stated.
Some major activities under the GC 7 are HIV & TB Gender & Human Rights scale-up at national and sub-national levels. Increased cohesion between the abstract and the practical in achieving the goals of 36+1 states with the HIV National Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
Use of methadone or buprenorphine for the management of men and women who engage in injection drug use. HIV coordination at the sub-national levels enhanced through technical support to State Agencies for the Control of AIDS (SACAs) and implement the HIV Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (IBBSS) 2024.
For this ultimate goal, she encourages everyone to embrace the process and the movement towards achieving this greatness.
“I urge you to reflect on how our work can ensure that we eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in collaboration with the National HIV, Hepatitis, and STI Control Programme (NASCP).
“Contribute meaningfully to the sector-wide approach of the Ministry of Health. Further strengthen the health response to become more resilient and sustainable. Ensure that we can respond to any public health emergency, and end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” she said.
