1.6m Nigerians Living with HIV Receiving Treatment, NACA Reveals
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has revealed that 1.6 million of the 2 million people living with HIV in Nigeria are presently receiving treatment.
The Director General of the Agency, Dr Temitope Ilori, said this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, ahead of the 2024 World AIDS Day, tagged, “Take the Right Path: Sustain HIV Response, Stop HIV Among Children, and End AIDS in Nigeria by 2030.”
The day is set aside for December 1st to raise awareness on HIV and AIDS and to honour the lives of those affected by the epidemic.
According to Ilori, this year’s event will focus on curbing AIDS among children.
“Nigeria has an HIV prevalence rate of 1.4 per cent among the general population aged 15–64 years, with an estimated two million people living with HIV. About 1.6 million of them are currently on treatment,” she stated. “The country continues to face significant challenges in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV,” he says.
160,000 children aged 0–14 are living with HIV, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurring each year, a UNAIDS 2023 report reveals.
The report shows that, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and paediatric HIV coverage remains below 33 per cent, a far cry from the 95 per cent target.
To this end, NACA has now developed the Global Alliance Action Plan to End AIDS in Children.
“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. I have paid advocacy visits and inaugurated state committees in three states, engaging directly with governors to support the launch and resourcing of similar committees at the state level, ensuring that no child is born HIV positive in Nigeria,” she explained.
On ensuring HIV response continues, she said, “this roadmap, among other things, will ensure that Nigeria’s health system remains secure, both in terms of HIV and associated diseases.”
“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,” she urged.
“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,” she added. “Together, let us 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 explained.
