US approves HIV treatment aid waiver for Nigeria, 54 countries

The United States Government has approved an emergency humanitarian waiver to support US-funded HIV treatment in 55 countries, including Nigeria.

GOSSIP UNION recalls that President Donald Trump recently ordered a funding pause for HIV treatment in developing countries as part of an executive order on foreign aid.

Sequel to this, the US Department of State suspended the disbursement of funds from the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, PEPFAR.

GOSSIP UNION reports that PEPFAR is providing HIV treatment for more than 20 million people living with the disease in Nigeria and globally, including 566,000 children under 15 years of age.

However, the joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS in a statement on Wednesday said the US government approved a waiver that allows people living with HIV to continue accessing treatment.

“UNAIDS welcomes this waiver from the US government which ensures that millions of people living with HIV can continue to receive life-saving HIV medication during the assessment of US foreign development assistance.

“This urgent decision recognises PEPFAR’s critical role in the AIDS response and restores hope to people living with HIV,” the statement read.