By Chioma Umeha
The
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) in Nigeria
received a boost as Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) disbursed $2.5 million
donated by Chevron Corporation, United States, weekend.
Announcing
the disbursement in Lagos, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, General Manager, Policy,
Government and Public Affairs, CNL, said the fund is for the implementation of
the Chevron-Global Fund Anti-Retroviral Treatment Service Maintenance Programme
(ART Programme) in Delta, Bayelsa, Ondo and Lagos States.
These
funds are in addition to US$6.7 million earlier donated by Chevron to the
Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in Bayelsa State.
Brikinn,
said a final installment of $2.5 million would be disbursed in 2018, to support
these HIV programmes, amounting to a total contribution of US$5 million being
donated by Chevron.
He
said the disbursements are part of a nine-year $60 million commitment from
Chevron to the Global Fund.
The
Fund, one of the world’s largest international financiers of health care
programmes to fight tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria, raises and invests nearly
US$4 billion a year to support programmes run by local experts to fight the
three diseases in countries and communities most in need.
The
ART programme, according to Brikinn, will help bridge a critical national
health gap and continue Chevron’s work in achieving an AIDS-free generation.
He
added that the programme will also help reduce new HIV infections and improve
the quality of life for the infected and affected people in the communities of
the targeted states.
