Cablegate: Nigeria: Global Fund Proposals Forthcoming

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ABUJA 000693

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/EPS: DRIANO; OES/IHA:KAUFMANN; USAID/AFR:RROGERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHIV EAID NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: GLOBAL FUND PROPOSALS FORTHCOMING

REF: (A) STATE 23248 (B) STATE 30290

The Economic and Political sections consulted with USAID and
CDC Nigeria to gather information in response to Ref B.

(A) It appears that the highest levels of the GON have been
aware of the Global Fund request for proposals for some time,
although the March 10 deadline was less widely understood.
The President recently instructed the Minister of Health, who
is ex-officio Secretary to the Presidential Committee on
AIDS, to submit proposals before that deadline.

(B) According to Ministry of Health officials, NGOs and civil
society will not have an opportunity to provide input for
this first round of proposals. However, civil society will
be asked to contribute to the second tranche due June 2002.

(C) The Process:

The GON, under the leadership of the Minister of Health, has
completed proposals for malaria and tuberculosis and is
currently drafting HIV/AIDS proposals. Specifics for the
malaria and TB proposals are not known. The HIV/AIDS
proposals will likely revolve around (1) prevention and (2)
care and support. Care and support programs would focus on
voluntary counseling and testing; anti-retroviral access; and
prevention of mother-to-child transmission. The National
Action Committee on AIDS (NACA) is responsible for drafting
the HIV/AIDs proposals and will submit them to the Minister
of Health before approval by the President.

NACA is a multi-sectoral body comprised of 10 federal
ministries augmented by NGO participation and established as
part of the national strategy to combat HIV/AIDS. The
creation of NACA enables the GON to participate in the World
Bank's Multi-sectoral AIDS Program (MAP), resulting in the
provision of USD 90 million in IDA credits for FY2001/02.
NACA will disburse these funds, as well as USD 40 million of
GON funds for HIV/AIDS, through the State Action Committees
(SACAs) to civil society and Local Government Action
Committees (LACAs). Programs at the State and local levels
are coordinated and overseen by NACA.

One criterion for the Global Fund proposals is the formation
of a Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM). NACA could
qualify as a Country Coordination Mechanism, but the Minister
of Health has decided to create a new mechanism. The reasons
behind this decision are not known, but could be due to
bureaucratic politics as the relationship between the Health
Ministry and NACA has not always been smooth.

(D) The GON does not require assistance to submit proposals.

(E) The Ministry of Health asked the CDC to assist in the
preparation of the tuberculosis proposals. However, CDC
representatives were out of the country at that time and
were, therefore, unable to assist.

(F) The GON requested input from the wider donor community on
the tuberculosis proposals. For the malaria proposals, the
GON requested assistance from UNICEF and BASICS, a USAID
implementing partner, and both provided input. The GON is
working with UNAIDS on the HIV/AIDS proposals.

(G) The GON is aware of the search for an Executive Director,
but has not announced any intention to submit a candidate.
Jeter

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