Nigeria Can No Longer Rely on Donors — Kwara Warns FG, States
Commissioner says health funding must shift from aid to government leadership
Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, has declared that Nigeria must begin to take full ownership of its health programmes, warning that donor-driven interventions are no longer sustainable.
Speaking in Ilorin at the opening of a three-day stakeholders’ meeting on the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM), organised with the Kwara State AIDS Control Agency (KWASACA) and development partners, Dr. El-Imam said international aid is shrinking faster than expected and urged federal, state, and local governments to step up funding.
“Our health system cannot continue to depend on donor agencies,” she said. “Government must show leadership and increase investment if we want to sustain progress.”
The commissioner highlighted Kwara’s achievements, including the world’s first integrated malaria programme in 2023, which surpassed 90 per cent of its targets and reduced malaria among pregnant women and children. She credited Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s political will for enabling the state to “punch above its weight” despite limited donor reach.
KWASACA Executive Secretary, Dr. Alabi Selim Babajide, also sounded the alarm on dwindling donor funds, stressing that sustainable financing, stronger processes and full government participation are vital to protecting health gains.
“The reality is clear: we must calculate the true cost of sustaining ATM programmes and prepare for life beyond donor support,” he said.
He disclosed that Kwara is among states selected for high-level talks on sustaining ATM interventions, with backing from UNAIDS, the Global Fund and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).
On her part, NACA Deputy Coordinator, Dr. Yewande Olaifa, urged Nigeria to take complete ownership of its HIV response, insisting that lasting progress depends on local leadership, capacity building and stronger coordination
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