Akwa Ibom Urges Local Solutions as Foreign HIV Aid Declines

• The workshop urged civil society groups to push for policies ensuring long-term healthcare funding
  

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The Akwa Ibom State Government says the withdrawal of foreign aid for HIV programmes is a wake-up call for Nigeria to develop sustainable local strategies.

Dr. Emabong Akpan, Programme Manager of the Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA), said this at a workshop on advocacy for gender-responsive HIV, TB, and malaria response in Uyo.

“We have learned from the recent withdrawal of U.S. HIV aid and are working to strengthen local responses,” Akpan said, emphasizing the need for strong advocacy to secure sustainable healthcare funding.

Hon. Moses Essien, Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State House Committee on Health, stressed the importance of gender-sensitive policies, noting that women, girls, and marginalized communities face barriers to healthcare access.

Olayemi Agoro, Director at Lawyers Alert, warned that global policy shifts, like a recent U.S. executive order on HIV funding, could have severe consequences for Nigeria’s health programmes.

“If one decision in the U.S. can halt a major source of HIV funding, we must realize that anything can happen,” Agoro said.

The workshop urged civil society groups to push for policies ensuring long-term healthcare funding and addressing gender-related barriers to treatment.