Foreign Aid Initiatives and the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Nigeria: Perspectives on Country Ownership and Humanistic Care

Abstract

With a prevalence rate of 3.1%, Nigeria has a generalized HIV/AIDS epidemic. Like much other developing countries, Nigeria has to collaborate with development partners to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge. This review assesses the impact of foreign aid initiatives on the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. It examines Nigeria’s capacity and willingness to independently own a sustainable provision of HIV/AIDS care in the country. This paper assesses the outcomes of the HIV/AIDS scheme. Our review indicates that foreign aid initiatives were responsible for the rapid scale-up in HIV/AIDS services and improvement in morbidity and mortality rates. While foreign aids have contributed to the reversal of both prevalence and incidence rates of HIV, donor funded initiatives have overstretched the workforce and the health systems thus diverting healthcare emphases towards specific disease intervention programmes. Evaluation of outcomes measures has consistently excluded viral load assessment, antiretroviral resistant testing and the provision of salvage regimen. Nigeria’s budgetary allocation to the health sector is still very low, consequently, government willingness and commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS is grossly inadequate. The HIV/AIDS programme is still donors dependent and often seen as “donor-agency things”. The global aid initiatives have recorded a milestone achievement in the fight against HIV infections in Nigeria. While much is needed from the donor agencies, Nigeria must ensure deliberate commitment towards an independent ownership of HIV/AIDS scheme in Nigeria.