They contend that the Tinubu administration ought to declare a national emergency in response to the Donald Trump administration’s decision to stop humanitarian funds for diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria in Nigeria.
In order to continue subsidizing medications to combat the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and its advanced stage, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, they encouraged the president and his cabinet members to promptly contact antiretroviral drug producers and provide the required cash.
Additionally, Yusuf and Etim stated that the National Assembly’s 2025 Budget should be modified to fill the void left by the funding reduction.
“I’m worried about health issues because President George W. Bush proposed a plan that would subsidize and send HIV/AIDS medications to us and other African nations,” Etim stated. Furthermore, those medications will now either be too costly or unavailable.
What steps should the Nigerian government take to lessen the impact of this prohibition? In my opinion, the government ought to promptly contact the producers of those antiretroviral medications, give them direct financial support, and import the medications into the nation.
“At one point, the prevalence of AIDS in this country was among the greatest in the world, but it was eventually reduced, so we should treat this as an emergency case right now. We must prevent a resurgence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The Federal Government and the health minister should concentrate on that.
A Continental Reaction?
Former NAHCO Free Trade Zone Managing Director Yusuf concurred with Etim, saying that Africa should use the African Union (AU) to convey a continental message to Trump, urging him to reconsider his assistance freeze by bringing up the politics of raw commodities.
“In my humble opinion, the AU, if at all possible, should respond to Trump on the issue of AIDS in a continental manner,” he stated.
“The world’s primary source of raw materials is still Africa. Africa continues to be the global hub for human capital. The sooner we begin to think and behave in that manner in international discussions, the sooner we begin to receive better treatment from Trump.
In order to avoid Trump’s crackdown, the experts also advised Nigerians who are illegal immigrants in the US to return home and assist in rebuilding their nation.
On January 20, 2025, only hours after taking office for the second time, Trump reaffirmed his “America First” stance and declared a temporary halt to nearly all foreign aid.
On January 20, 2025, US President Donald Trump addresses the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC, following his inauguration as the 47th President. (Image courtesy of SAUL LOEB/AFP/POOL)
Additionally, the Trump administration declared that the United States was leaving the World Health Organization. WHO, the UN, and other humanitarian organizations warned that the decision by the biggest donor in the world will endanger lives, sending shockwaves around the globe.
Washington distributed $72 billion in foreign aid to about 180 nations in 2023. Notably, the United States provided Nigeria with $1.01 billion in health and education funding that same year through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a global American organization. The organization advocates for “food and nutrition security, a healthier, better-educated population,” and various forms of humanitarian aid in Nigeria.
Antiretroviral medications are also provided by USAID and other organizations to treat HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and UNAIDS estimate that 1.9 million Nigerians are HIV positive.
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