The United States of America has budgeted $332m to support the scaling and continuity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus treatment with viral suppression and implementation of a specific age, sex, and population-focused prevention programming.
This was contained in the Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations document for Fiscal Year 2024.
In the United States, the federal government’s fiscal year is the 12-month period beginning 1 October and ending 30 September the following year.
The FY 2024 Congressional Budget Justification describes the funding required for State and USAID to carry out its missions worldwide.
Rating Nigeria as nearing the 90-90-90 target, it said with the FY 2024 funds, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief will support the scaling and continuity of HIV treatment.
The 90-90-90 targets call for 90 per cent of people living with HIV to know their status, 90 per cent of PLHIV who know their status to be on antiretroviral therapy, and 90 per cent of PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy to achieve viral suppression.
“With FY 2024 funds, PEPFAR will support countries that are at or near 90-90-90. In this set of countries, funds will be used to support scaling and continuity of treatment with viral suppression and implementation of specific age/sex- and population-focused prevention programming, including Pre-exposure prophylaxis, Voluntary medical male circumcision for young men and Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe for adolescent girls and young women.
“Countries in this category will continue scaling with close collaboration with host country, Global Fund, and PEPFAR resources focused on maximal efficiency, effectiveness, and utilization of local partners.
“The FY 2024 Budget focuses resources on the highest-impact activities. In addition to the key interventions every country program should implement, these countries will also focus on age/sex scaling of effective treatment with viral suppression as well as scaling up combination prevention programming, including pre-exposure prophylaxis, VMMC for young men and DREAMS for adolescent girls and young women.
“FY 2024 resources will support scaling and maintenance of clients on treatment by focusing assistance on continuity of treatment and targeted prevention in the following HIV-burdened countries: Cameroon ($75.0 million), Ethiopia ($85.0 million), Haiti ($100.0 million), Kenya ($287.5 million), Nigeria ($332.0 million), Tanzania ($362.5 million), Uganda ($353.7 million), Vietnam ($30.0 million), and Zambia ($364.6 million),” the document read in part.
The document also noted that with the FY 2024 funds, PEPFAR will support countries that have not yet reached 90-90-90 and yet are
continuing towards epidemic control of HIV/AIDS.
It said the countries may lack reliable epidemiologic data due to civil unrest or other conflicts.
“FY 2024 will support scaling and maintenance of clients on treatment by focusing assistance on continuity of treatment and targeted prevention in the following HIV-burdened countries: Angola ($20.0 million), Cote d’Ivoire ($85.0 million), Democratic Republic of Congo ($102.0 million), Dominican Republic ($20.0 million), Mozambique ($390.0 million), South Africa ($367.0 million), South Sudan ($39.8 million), and Ukraine ($53.0 million),” it added.
In Nigeria, 1.6 million persons living with HIV are now on treatment.
