Nigerian Aids funding on hold

2005-11-19 10:45

Lagos - The world's top funding body in the fight against AIDS may freeze grants to Nigeria, citing concerns about data gathering and spending.

There concerns were cited in an October 11 letter from the United Nations-backed global fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, saying there were "serious concerns" with the implementation of programmes for which the organisation has disbursed $17.3m (R116m) so far.

About 7 000 Nigerians receive medication under these programmes.

In a reply early this month, Abdulsalami Nasidi, head of an umbrella body for anti-Aids groups and government agencies in Nigeria, appealed to the global fund to provide the next round of funds - scheduled for use over the next three years. He said that "all the arrangements are now in place to ensure successful implementation".

To freeze or not to freeze

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, is the country with the third largest number of people infected with the HIV virus that causes Aids - after South Africa and India.

Mark Willis, head of Nigerian programmes for the global fund, said the organisation's board of directors would decide whether or not to freeze disbursements to Nigeria by the end of December.

In the letter, the global fund said Nigeria had failed to provide reliable data on how many patients are being given anti-retroviral drugs under the programmes, and that it was spending the money too slowly.

Over $9m (R60m) remains to be disbursed under two HIV/Aids programmes - one aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the other to expand the number of people treated with anti-retroviral drugs.

Don't believe funds will be put on hold

In its reply, Nasidi's agency provided data on people treated with anti-retrovirals under global fund-financed programmes and parallel ones. It said 32 000 people were being treated - 6 865 patients with global fund money; 8 596 under US-funded schemes; 16 273 under Nigerian government programmes. Auditors Deloitte & Touche were called in to compile the figures.

Funds were spent slowly because of delays in starting various Aids treatment programmes and in getting fresh drug supplies, said Nasidi's agency.

A top Nasidi's agency official said he did not believe aid would be put on hold.

"I don't think the global fund is going to stop funding," said Pat Matemilola.. "We are gathering momentum. We are learning on the job. I think they can recognize that."

The global fund was created by the world's richest countries at the 2001 group of eight economic summit in Genoa, Italy, in a pledge to step up funding to fight HIV/Aids and other global epidemics. Its secretariat is provided by the UN's world health organization.

- AP