…Pledges to expand HIV testing, ART, Counselling
In a strive to eliminate new infections among children, the Federal Government has restated it’s commitment to scale up efforts, by ensuring continued access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), expanding HIV testing and counselling and, prevention programmes.
In a statement signed by Alaba Balogun, Deputy Director, Information & Public Relations, it revealed, that Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the Minister of State For Health and Social Welfare, made the disclosure at the commemoration of Worlds Aids Day organized by the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare in conjunction with the National Agency For The Control of Aids (NACA).
With the theme for the World’s AIDS Day as: “Take the Rights Path: Sustain The HIV Response And Stop HIV Among Children To End AIDS In Nigeria By 2030”.
The Minister asserted that with over 1.9 million people living with HIV in Nigeria, which includes approximately 150,000 children, the Federal Government will sustain its efforts to ensuring continued access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for those living with HIV, expanding HIV testing and counselling.
He added that such comprehensive and inclusive efforts will include improving the availability of prevention programmes for those at highest risk of infection.
Dr Salako further emphasized “The Federal Government remains committed to achieving the goal of ending AIDS by 2030 and we are determined to sustain the response where no child is left behind”.
“This commitment is anchored under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the various reforms to ensure availability of reliable data, medicine security including HIV treatment inputs and sustainable domestic resources mobilisation.” He added
Making a clarion call for proactive action to preventing HIV transmission; Dr. Salako said: “Let me call on all our sub-national governments (state and local), the private sector, our partners, community and religious leaders, NGOs, CBOs and all stakeholders in the fight against HIV to “take the right path” by scaling up interventions aimed at preventing HIV transmission among children”.
In her welcome address, the Director General of National Agency for The Control of Aids (NACA), Dr. Temitope Ilori affirmed that Nigeria’s HIV response has seen remarkable achievements.
Dr. Ilori explained that restoring institutional confidence through strategic advocacy, strengthening data management and; launching of the PMTCT and paediatric acceleration committee which includes promoting Local solutions are the key drivers of success under the present administration.
While delivering his goodwill message, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohammed Fall asserted that ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is achievable.
This years theme, Mr. Fall stated, underscores the urgent need to place human rights at the centre of the HIV response including addressing the peculiar vulnerabilities of children affected by this epidemic.
Highlights of the commemoration included the Launching of Strategic Policy Documents on HIV/AIDS by the Minister of State for Health & Social Welfare Dr. Iziaq Salako; presentations by Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike, Director Public Health Department in the Ministry and; National Coordinator of the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme ( NASCP), Dr. Adebobola Bashorun.
