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By Ruth Chidimma Akuma
The National Agency for the Control of AIDs (NACA) has applauded the U.S. government for granting an emergency waiver that ensures millions of people living with HIV in 55 countries, including Nigeria, can keep receiving essential treatment through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
This waiver, which Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced on Tuesday, allows PEPFAR funding to continue without interruption, even though there is a wider 90-day pause on foreign development aid. PEPFAR is the largest global program aimed at fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic and provides antiretroviral therapy to over 20 million people around the world.
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In a statement released in Abuja on Thursday, Dr. Temitope Ilori, the Director-General of NACA, noted that Nigeria has the highest number of people living with HIV in West and Central African region.
He mentioned that the recent executive order issued by the new U.S. Administration to review and adjust foreign aid, which includes a 90-day halt on foreign development assistance, has caused serious concerns among stakeholders regarding support and funding for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
Ilori emphasised that for the past twenty years, global partners in the AIDS response have actively helped the Nigerian government and its institutions to enhance prevention, treatment, care, and support for those affected by HIV/AIDS.
