About 1.6 million out of the two million people living with HIV in Nigeria are on treatment, the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Temitope Ilori said.
Dr. Ilori said this at a press conference on Monday in Abuja ahead of the 2024 World AIDS Day themed, “Take the rights path: Sustain HIV response, stop HIV almond children to end AIDS in Nigeria by 2030.”
WAD is observed globally on December 1st to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and honour the lives affected by the epidemic.
Ilori said this year’s commemoration of the day will placing special emphasis on stopping AIDS among children as well as raising consciousness on sustainability, and ownership of the HIV response.
“Nigeria has HIV prevalence pg 1.4 per cent among general population, 15-64 years with an estimated two million people living with HIV. About 1.6 million of them are presently on the treatment as we speak. The country continues to face significant challenge in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
“The UNAIDS 2023 report shows that approximately 160,000 children aged 0-14 are living with HIV, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurring each year. Despite country progress, our PMTCT, and paediatric HIV coverage remains below 33 per cent, well below the 95 per cent target,” she stated.
She noted that following comprehensive data analysis in 2021, the agency joined the international initiative and developed the Global Alliance Action Plan to End AIDS in children.
She said, “The plan is fully resourced, yet coverage continues to fall short. To address this, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate recently established a national-level acceleration committee to track implementation, and I paid advocacy visits, and inaugurated state committees in three states, engaging directly with three governors to support the launch and resourcing of a similar committee at the state level, ensuring that no child is born HIV positive in Nigeria.
“Furthermore, my team has been engaging with all stakeholders in the HIV response in co-creating a sustainability roadmap which intends to sustain our gains within the HIV response, and out government mandated structures at the centre of programme implementation in the states. This roadmap, among other things, will ensure that in the event of donor support withdrawal, the country is secured health-wise, and socially as regards HIV, and associated diseases.”
The NACA boss stated that the agency has recorded significant achievements in transforming Nigeria’s HIV response in the past one year.
“On this World AIDS Day, I call on all Nigerians to join hands with NACA to break the stigma, embrace equity, drive collective action and stop HIV among our children.
“We must empower every individual, especially women who are most vulnerable to contracting HIV, and other vulnerable populations, to access life-saving services, and live with dignity.
“Together, let is recommit to the vision of an AIDS-free Nigeria by 2030. Ending AIDS is not just a target, it is a testament to our resolve, compassion, and unity as a nation,” she concluded.
The Country Director of UNAIDS, Leo Zekeng emphasised that as the country moves towards ending AIDS by 2030, there is a need for sustainability and renewed political commitment.
“Sustainability for us would mean renewed political commitment. Sustainability also means more domestic resources. I know the DG is working very closely with the Minister of Finance, theCoordinating Minister of Health, in such a way that there can be more domestic resources from the government, and from the private sector, allocated to the AIDS response.
“We also, in the sustainability agenda, need to do more and do better with the little resources that we have. So we appreciate the current effort by health sector, and partners. I know you are working very closely with the National Health Insurance Authority in such a way that the package of services included will reduce stigma and discrimination,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Virology Nigeria, Dr Patrick Dakum urged stakeholders to recommit to collaborative action, sustained investment, and innovative approaches to addressing the challenges ahead.
Dr Dakum, who was represented by the Project Director, IHVN Global Fund N-THRIP, Dr Olayemi Olupitan noted that the institute has demonstrated excellence in combating HIV and TB through a holistic approach that bridges national and community-level interventions.
“With over two decades of impactful interventions, IHVN is proud to contribute to national efforts to control HIV/AIDS and TB as a Principal Recipient of the Global Fund and a PEPFAR implementer.
“Through our programs, including the Nigeria TB-HIV Reach Integration and Impact Project, we work closely with partners such as the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme, the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, and NACA to integrate HIV and TB services, expand community outreach, and address the social determinants of health that perpetuate inequalities.
“Our work has consistently focused on delivering patient-centred solutions, strengthening health systems, and reducing stigma and discrimination in communities. World AIDS Day serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility to ensure no one is left behind in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” he said.
In her remarks, the PEPFAR Nigeria Country Coordinator, Funmi Adesanya highlighted that, to bring HIV/AIDS to an end as a public health threat abd look beyond 2030, there is a beer to expand the prevention efforts by scaling up evidence-based prevention strategies such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, harm reduction services etc., to easily forgotten populations like children.
Adesanya, who was represented by the Deputy Country Coordinator, Emerson Evans, also called for the need to “Invest in resilient, and inclusive healthcare systems that ensure uninterrupted access to antiretroviral therapy, even in the cmface of crisis.
“Address social determinants such as tackling stigma, discrimination, and structural inequalities that hinders access to care, particularly for marginalised groups.
“Investing in research, and development; support innovative vaccine development, and long-acting treatment regimens to improve outcomes, and reduce transmission.”
She, however, added that none of the actions can be made possible without partnership.
“Government agencies, civil society organisations, donors, and private sector partners must align for resource mobilisation, and contribute to the shared goal of ending AIDS by 2030,” she said.
