The sudden closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has left many African countries reeling, with Nigeria being one of the hardest hit. The freeze on billions of dollars in global funding for US health and education projects has sparked widespread concerns that the progress made in fighting diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and AIDS will be reversed.
In an interview, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, acknowledged the challenges posed by the USAID closure. He noted that Nigeria’s health sector has historically been underfunded, with the government allocating a meager $120 per capita for health, compared to the UK’s $4,000 per capita.
Despite these challenges, Prof Pate expressed optimism about Nigeria’s ability to manage the impact of the aid cut. He cited the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes human capital development and has led to increased investments in health and service delivery.
One of the key concerns is the fate of 28,000 Nigerian health workers who were previously paid by the USAID programme. However, Prof Pate assured that the government is taking steps to address this issues
As Nigeria and other African countries navigate this challenging situation, it is clear that sustainable solutions will require a combination of government funding, international cooperation, and innovative partnerships.