Chevron disburses $2.5m to support Global Fund in Nigeria

• Health minister  expresses appreciation, urges other private organisations to emulate CNL

THANK YOU: Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole in a warm handshake with CNL General Manager. Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn as other CNL officials look on earlier today at the disbursement announcement.

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), today announced the disbursement of $2.5 million donated by Chevron Corporation, United States  to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) in Nigeria.

Announcing the disbursement in Lagos, CNL General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, CNL, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn said the fund is for the implementation of the Chevron-Global Fund Anti-Retroviral Treatment Service Maintenance Program (ART Program) in Delta, Bayelsa, Ondo and Lagos States.

These funds are in addition to US$6.7 million earlier donated by Chevron to the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in Bayelsa State of Nigeria.

Brikinn, said a final installment of $2.5 million would be disbursed in 2018, to support these HIV programs, amounting to a total contribution of US$5 million being donated by Chevron.

He said the disbursements are part of a nine-year $60 million commitment from Chevron to the Global Fund.

The Fund, one of the world’s largest international financiers of health care programs to fight tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria, raises and invests nearly US$4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts to fight the three diseases in countries and communities most in need.

The ART program, according to Brikinn, will help bridge a critical national health gap and continue Chevron’s work in achieving an AIDS-free generation, adding that the program will  also help reduce new HIV infections and improving the quality of life for the infected and affected people in the communities of the targeted states.

“Additionally, it will provide Nigerians with universal access to high quality, patient-centered prevention, diagnosis and treatment services for tuberculosis, HIV and drug-resistant tuberculosis by 2020’” he added.

Brikinn further said: “We are doing this because the company has learned through decades of experience that our success is tied to the health and prosperity of the communities where we operate. CNL has also committed substantial resources over the years in implementing initiatives aimed at combating several diseases in communities’ close to its operations and beyond. The initiatives include River Boat Clinic, building of community health centers, donation of medical supplies and sponsorship of health campaigns,”

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole commended CNL for seeding out $5 million to global fund as a direct support to Nigeria in the fight against tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria in two years.

Adewole said the company has been involved in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria for a long time.

“They are also supporting prevention of Mother To Child Transmission to the level of $6.7 million which to me represents major investment in this battle.

“To us it is a worthy investment. It signifies a  major investment and also a fulfillment of the call that the private sector must partner with the government. Government cannot do it alone. We are quite happy about this,” Adewole said.

He said the federal government has contributed billions of naira in the fight against tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria, adding that the private sector need to emulate Chevron, if Nigeria must make progress in the fight against these diseases.

“The country belongs to all of us and there can be no greater investment in any country, in any sector than investing in the people of the country,” he advised.