Nigeria recorded 75,000 new HIV infections and 45,000 HIV-related deaths in 2023, according to Dr Temitope Ilori, Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).
Speaking at a two-day National Prevention Technical Working Group (NPTWG)
meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Dr Ilori highlighted the urgent need for
intensified efforts to combat the disease.
Dr Ilori emphasized that while
there has been a gradual reduction in new HIV infections, the numbers remain
alarming. "It is disheartening to know that in 2023, we had as much as
75,000 new infections and 45,000 HIV-related deaths," she stated. She also
pointed out the significant gap in Mother-To-Child Transmission prevention,
achieving only 35 to 40 per cent against the target of 75 per cent. "This
is a cause for concern. We know we have a lot of work to do," she added.
The NPTWG meeting follows the
recommendations made at the 2024 Nigeria HIV Prevention Conference, with a
focus on eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030. Prof Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, urged stakeholders to assess and enhance
strategies for preventing HIV transmission. Represented by Dr Bashorun
Adebobola, National Coordinator of the National AIDS/STI Control Programme
(NASCP), Prof Pate stressed the importance of effective communication. "We
should strengthen our communication strategies to pass the right message,"
he said. "Even though we have made impressive gains, we are still at risk of
a rebound of the infection."
Dr Leo Zekeng, UNAIDS Country
Director and Representative in Nigeria, echoed these concerns, noting that
Nigeria, along with many other countries, is not on track to meet the 2025
prevention target. "In spite of remarkable progress, prevention of new HIV
infections is still a challenge," he said. "We are here as UNAIDS and
the UN system in support and solidarity with the government’s efforts to
address HIV prevention."
Dr Zekeng called for a robust
roadmap that includes a quarterly performance framework for accountability and
progress monitoring. Abdulkadir Ibrahim, National Coordinator of the Network of
People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), underscored the critical
role of treatment in prevention. "Once someone is living with HIV and
adheres to medications, the chances of transmitting HIV to another person are
zero," he explained.
Evans Emerson, Deputy Country
Coordinator of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR),
highlighted the need to involve youths and key populations in efforts to
eliminate HIV as a public threat. He reiterated the U.S. commitment to
supporting Nigeria with funding for innovative HIV prevention and treatment
strategies.
The meeting concluded with the
unveiling of the 2024 HIV Prevention Conference Technical Report and Communique
by Dr Ilori, setting the stage for continued efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS
epidemic in Nigeria.
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