The United States Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has commended the collaborative efforts between the United States and Nigeria in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic and addressing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blinken, during his visit to the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research in Lagos on Wednesday, highlighted the extraordinary work accomplished through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programme.
He stated that the programme, which has been sustained through successive administrations, has played a pivotal role in saving over 20 million lives and transforming the destinies of millions more.
The Secretary of State also lauded Nigeria’s effective use of the PEPFAR platform to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that the collaborative effort enabled Nigeria to adapt and develop diagnostic kits locally, demonstrating resilience and self-sufficiency in the face of disruptions to global supply chains.
