Nigeria is one of the biggest recipients of the $400 million that the U.S. Congress has set aside for the global PEPFAR HIV/AIDS program. The bill was originally intended to cut funding for foreign aid and public media, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a decades-old program that has been credited with saving millions of lives worldwide
It passed the House by a slim vote of 216-213. The Republican-led House passed a $9 billion cut to public media and foreign aid, but a Senate amendment saved the money.
PEPFAR cuts were originally included in the Trump-backed bill, but due to significant opposition, they were removed.
Democrats vehemently opposed the larger package in spite of the amendment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries cautioned that additional cuts to funding for media and public health could put Americans in danger and weaken American soft power overseas.
The vote was further complicated by internal Republican disagreements over unrelated matters, such as calls for more transparency on documents pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein.
PEPFAR support is essential for Nigeria, which has one of the largest HIV-positive population in the world. Since 2004, it has supported prevention, testing, and treatment initiatives that have benefited millions of people.
Losing this assistance, according to health experts, would have jeopardized years of advancement. Nigeria’s battle against HIV/AIDS benefits greatly from the preserved funding, which guarantees ongoing access to essential services.
