Esther Salifu
Nigerian health advocates are urging for greater domestic funding to sustain progress in combating HIV/AIDS amid dwindling international support.
The Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) stressed the urgency of developing sustainable, locally funded health insurance schemes to guarantee continued access to treatment and care.
This call was made during a key stakeholders’ engagement and dialogue on HIV domestic financing and the domestication of the HIV Anti-Stigma and Discrimination Law, hosted by NEPWHAN in collaboration with its constituents, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria.
NEPWHAN’s National Coordinator, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, revealed that about 85% of Nigeria’s HIV funding currently comes from international donors, particularly the U.S. government and the Global Fund. He warned that this heavy reliance leaves the country vulnerable to external policy changes.
“The issue around domestic financing is very important because… the recent uncertainty in global health, most especially the US government policy shift, has really given us a kind of strong signal that internally we need to look inward,” he said.
Ibrahim emphasized the need for internal funding mechanisms to sustain HIV programs, pointing to health insurance as a more reliable option.
“We are looking into issues around health insurance now… where it’s going to be much more sustainable and also affordable in the event people have to pay,” he added.
He further proposed that accessible health insurance schemes could provide a long-term solution, reducing Nigeria’s dependence on foreign aid.
“HIV is still much more with us, and there are still gaps to fill in to give us a headway to ending it by the year 2030,” Ibrahim noted.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Malaria Control (ATM), Rt. Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, stressed that Nigeria must take full ownership of its health financing.
Ogah described the suspension of U.S. funding not only as a setback but also as an opportunity for the country to build a self-reliant health system.
“The Nigerian government must take the lead in funding for the response to public health threats such as HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and not rely solely on foreign interventions,” he stated.
He observed that despite funding challenges, Nigerians have continued to generate innovative ideas to mobilize local resources, but he highlighted the need for better coordination.
“Many brilliant and innovative solutions on how to mobilize domestic funding for the response against HIV and TB in Nigeria have been rolled out,” he said.
Ogah also underscored the importance of collaboration in achieving sustainable health financing. He called on CSOs, government agencies, and other stakeholders to pool resources and expertise for maximum impact.
“It will be cost-efficient and effective if we share ideas and build capacity through partnerships and collaborate in the efforts to proffer actionable solutions,” he added.
