US approves HIV treatment aid waiver for Nigeria, 54 countries

The United States government has approved an “emergency humanitarian waiver” to support US-funded HIV treatment in 55 countries, including Nigeria.

US President Donald Trump recently ordered a funding pause for HIV treatment in developing countries as part of an executive order on foreign aid.

As a result, the US department of state suspended the disbursement of funds from the president’s emergency plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR).

PEPFAR is providing HIV treatment for more than 20 million people living with the disease in Nigeria and globally, including 566,000 children under 15 years of age.

But the joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS in a statement on Wednesday said the US government approved a waiver that allows people living with HIV to continue accessing treatment.

“UNAIDS welcomes this waiver from the US government which ensures that millions of people living with HIV can continue to receive life-saving HIV medication during the assessment of US foreign development assistance,” the statement reads.

“This urgent decision recognises PEPFAR’s critical role in the AIDS response and restores hope to people living with HIV.”

Reacting to the development, Toyin Aderibigbe, the spokesperson of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), said Nigeria appreciates the US government’s waiver and is mindful of the potential change to foreign aid soon under the new administration.

“The Nigerian government would intensify domestic resource mobilisation strategies towards ownership and sustainability of the HIV response in the country with a view to reducing the risks of donor aid policy shifts to the HIV response while ensuring that the country’s strategic goals and targets in the fight against HIV are achieved,” Aderibigbe said in a statement issued on Thursday.

“Through effective stakeholder collaboration, creating favourable policies, and enabling environment and advocacy to policymakers, Nigeria can still achieve the target of ending AIDS by 2030.”

“The US government, through PEPFAR, has immensely supported Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS response over the years, particularly in sustaining the treatment of people living with HIV in Nigeria.

“PEPFAR Nigeria remains the biggest donor for treatment programmes in the country, as their contributions cover approximately 90 percent of the treatment burden.”