Nigeria: Funding released for "ambitious" AIDS plan
---------------------------------------------------
Barely four weeks to the US Presidential election, oil rich Ni-
geria got a 'just in time' funding to scale up its anti-
retroviral drug treatment program. See below for more informa-
tion.
--
JOHANNESBURG, 1 October (PLUSNEWS) - The US this week released
US$ 200 million to Nigeria for the nationwide scaling-up of its
anti-AIDS treatment programme.
Nigerian Health Minister Eyitayo Lambo recently announced $248
million was needed to have 200,000 people on treatment by the
end of 2005, a target that was seen as ambitious, considering
that only 14,000 people currently have access to antiretrovi-
rals.
The funds are part of the US President's Emergency Plans for
AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which directs money to 12 African nations
and the Caribbean
--
A. Odutola
mailto:chpss_abo2@yahoo.com