Implementation of $1bn Anti-Malaria Project in Nigeria May Suffer Setback

Representative of the Country Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund, Mr. Ibrahim Tajudeen has said the utilisation of a $1.136 billion grant offered Nigeria by the United States and the Global Fund for Anti-malaria intervention programme was being threatened by poor counterpart funding.

According to Tajudeen, the amount was meant for the execution of the next phase of anti-malaria intervention programme from 2021 to 2023.

He, however, lamented that the inability of the federal government to foot its part of the funding was delaying the full utilisation of the grant.

Against the background of the controversy generated by the federal government’s request for the National Assembly’s loan approval of $360 million to fund its counterpart obligation in the execution of malaria intervention programme, Tajudeen said the programme may suffer setback, especially the initiative to safeguard pregnant women and their children from malaria.

Tajudeen who made this known in an interview with THISDAY at the quarterly advocacy meeting of the Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN), said the issue was erroneously portrayed as if the money was to be used to purchase mere mosquito nets.

He explained that Global Fund usually give countries allocation letter every three years, adding that Nigeria was fortunate enough to be one of the countries that received the highest allocation for the implementation period of 2021 to 2023 from $890 million to $1.136 billion.

“Our allocation keep increasing from $890 million plus COVID-19 interventions of $246 million, which is about $1.136 billion grants for the country,” he added.

He, however, said the grants came with little conditions attached to it.
According to him, most of the opposition by members of the National Assembly to the issue of the loan for funding of counterpart obligation on malaria intervention programme stemmed from lack of information which he said was as a result of gaps in communication and policy sensitisation.

Speaking on the need for more advocacy and campaigns on the policy measures on malaria intervention programme, Tajudeen said: “If you see the calibre of people that condemned some of the interventions, especially malaria, it shows that there are gaps between policy operations and the general public. More importantly, the legislators need to be more acquainted with what we are doing and we need to move closer to them by giving them the required information.”

Tajudeen said one of the conditions for the malaria intervention fund was for the Nigerian government to make sure that it provides health kits for pregnant women so that they can have the three courses of IPT.
“I don’t think that is too much to ask from the federal government by the donor that gave over $1.1 billion free of charge.

“The second point is that for a certain number of years from 2015 to date, there were some states that were categorised as orphan states. And if these states are orphan, then who takes care of them, it should be the federal government. So the federal government was asked to provide mosquito nets for distribution to pregnant women, under-5 year children and funds for sensitisation campaign.

“It was on that basis that government approached the World Bank, African Development Bank and Islamic Bank and we are seeking loan of $360 million, $200 million from World Bank, $100 million from ADB and $60 million from the Islamic Bank,” he said.

On his part, the Coordinator of ACOMIN, Mr. Ayo Ipinmoye expressed dismay at the delay in the approval of funds to defray federal government’s counterpart obligation in the malaria intervention programme.
He said currently the malaria scourge was ravaging the citizens.

According to Ipinmoye about 55,200 under-five deaths were recorded in Africa due to malaria illness in the last one year.

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

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