The sudden withdrawal of funds for HIV/AIDS programmes following a recent U.S. policy on foreign aid could erode hard-won gains and put young Nigerians at risk, an expert has warned.
Dr Nandul Durfa, Managing Director of Reach Care Foundation, an HIV/AIDS caregiving organization, told reporters on Sunday in Abuja that the Federal Government must fully fund HIV/AIDS services to prevent a relapse to the dark days of the epidemic.
Durfa was reacting to a letter from the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN), informing his organization of the termination of funding support.
In the letter, signed by the institute’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Patrick Dakum, IHVN said that “due to prevailing funding constraints,” it was “compelled to terminate all contracts currently in force” with its partner organizations, with immediate effect.
Non-governmental organizations and other groups involved in HIV/AIDS interventions have begun shutting down operations following a new U.S. policy halting foreign aid.
IHVN had been a major beneficiary of U.S. foreign assistance routed through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Reports indicate that global health programmes are facing serious threats following the freezing of U.S. overseas aid and the dismantling of USAID, which previously distributed tens of billions of dollars annually for international assistance.
The U.S. government also announced workforce cuts at the agency and the immediate suspension of nearly all aid projects and programmes.
As a result of the funding collapse, IHVN has stopped financing HIV/AIDS services nationwide, leaving caregivers and partner organizations uncertain about the future.
Expressing regret over the dismantling of USAID, Durfa recalled that HIV/AIDS was a major public health concern about two decades ago.
“The scourge was deadly and claimed many lives. As Chief Medical Director of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital at the time, we had more than 7,000 patients at one point,” he said.
According to him, U.S. support through USAID played a critical role in helping Nigeria drastically reduce HIV/AIDS prevalence.
“With the decision to stop the funding, the outcome is obvious. Nigeria risks relapsing into a worse epidemic if urgent action is not taken by the Federal Government.
“The government must step in to fill this gap to avoid a resurgence of the disease,” he said.
Durfa warned that young people would be the most vulnerable if funding gaps persist.
“Young people under 20 never experienced the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and may not fully understand how devastating it can be.
“If funding stops without eliminating the virus, resistance can develop, and even if funds return later, a lot of ground would have been lost,” he said.
He noted that the policy shift threatened to reverse progress made since 2005 and urged the government to urgently provide funds for the procurement of antiretroviral drugs.
“Nobody talks about HIV/AIDS now because it has been largely controlled, but a sudden halt in funding could wipe out these achievements,” he said.
Durfa praised former U.S. President George W. Bush for his administration’s support for HIV/AIDS interventions and called on young Nigerians to advocate sustained funding for the fight against the disease.
He also expressed concern over the consequences of abruptly halting services for people living with HIV.
“As a foundation, we support more than 500 people. Suddenly telling them we can no longer help is devastating,” he said.
He listed services provided by his organization to include community testing, immediate treatment initiation, counseling, support for HIV-negative partners in discordant relationships, legal aid for victims of abuse, and care for patients with tuberculosis and other opportunistic infections.
Durfa warned that the suspension of these services could have far-reaching social and health consequences, including increased transmission and serious mental health challenges.
“There is also the risk of mother-to-child transmission, which we have successfully reduced with the right drugs. If those drugs are no longer available, the consequences will be dire.
“We need massive and sustainable funding. Without a permanent alternative, we are sitting on a time bomb,” he said.
