Lagos: The Chairman of the House Committee on HIV, TB, and Malaria Control, Amobi Godwin-Ogah, has highlighted an urgent need for Nigeria to transition from reliance on foreign donors to a more self-sufficient health financing model. This call was made during the Nigeria Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) 2025 Annual Retreat and 70th General Meeting held in Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ogah emphasized the critical juncture at which Nigeria’s health financing landscape stands, advocating for greater transparency and increased domestic funding, particularly in combating HIV, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria. The meeting, themed ‘Partnering to Improve Health Systems Outcomes in an Evolving Global Health Financing Landscape,’ served as a platform to discuss these pressing issues.
CCM Nigeria, a Public-Private Partnership responsible for coordinating funding applications to the Global Fund, plays a crucial role in mobilizing resources and ensuring effective use of grants. Ogah stressed the importance of parliamentary involvement in understanding and overseeing the use of international funds, advocating for accountability and transparency in fund management.
He expressed concerns over the lack of transparency from some organizations managing these funds, recounting past investigations where accountability was met with obstacles. Ogah urged CCM to be more transparent in their processes, especially in light of reduced foreign aid, such as the recent suspension of U.S. support to African health systems.
Despite these challenges, Ogah remains confident in collaborative efforts but insists on the need for increased domestic advocacy. He lamented the inadequacies in addressing malaria and HIV, pushing for free malaria treatment at primary healthcare centers and commending the progress made in TB management.
Ayob Ipinmoye, First Vice-Chair of the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism for Nigeria, confirmed a significant funding challenge, revealing an 11 percent reduction in Global Fund allocation. He urged the Nigerian government to take stronger ownership of health financing, emphasizing the need for a coordinated sector-wide approach.
Dr. Temitope Ilori, Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), noted that international support should be viewed as an opportunity for Nigeria to own the national response. She highlighted the importance of local production of health commodities and enrolling people living with HIV into the National Health Insurance Scheme to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.