By Hassan Zaggi
The Director General, National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA), Dr. Gambo Gumel Aliyu, has called on all stakeholders to renew their dedication to the national HIV/AIDS response by bolstering community led initiatives, strengthening partnership and champion policies that uphold the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their HIV status.
Dr. Aliyu made the call at the 2023 World AIDS Day (WAD), conference held on Friday in Abuja.
He said: “Let us harness the collective leadership of communities and drive forward with unwavering resolve. Let our actions today shape a tomorrow where HIV/AIDS is a chapter of our past and where every individual can live a life of health, dignity and hope.”
He reiterated that Nigeria like many other countries has made significant strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS but, however, insisted that, there is still much to be done to achieve the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
According to him, ” Nigeria has the second largest burden of HIV infection. Currently a total of 1.8 million persons are estimated to be living with HIV in Nigeria. Approximately 58 percent are estimated to be female and 42 percent male.
“The national average of mother to child transmission rate of 22 percent is driven by a large number of states with transmission rates above 25 percent and few states with rates below 15 percent.
“Nigeria is responsible for about 30 percent of the world’s gap in Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT).
“The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recognise and appreciate the support of our development partners and Global communities including UNAIDS, United State Government through PEPFAR, Global Funds for HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria and other partners for their indefatigable efforts over the years that have made the Nigeria HIV response the most resilient globally.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Control, Hon. Amobi Ogah, noted that the theme for this year WAD celebration is ‘Communities: leadership to end AIDS by 2030’ which is instructive to note that NACA couldn’t have chosen a better theme as the spotlight is now on leaders at every level to engage communities in ensuring that AIDS ends by 2030.
” To achieve the above and indeed for NACA to succeed, the issue of funding is critical.
“ I am aware of the target to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS by 2030 and the fact that national coverage of prevention of mother to child transmission is less than 50 percent leading to about 22,000 cases of mother to child transmission of HIV every year in Nigeria.
” For NACA to provide treatment to a greater number of PLHIV and KP communities from about 100,000 to an estimated target of 200,000 by 2024, more resources is needed.
“We assure you that Parliament will work towards the increase of budgetary allocation to the fight against HIV/AIDS within the face of limited resources.”
