The Nigerian government has been commended for taking the lead in HIV prevention drive.
The Country Director of UNAIDS, Dr. Erasmus Morah, gave the commendation at an event to mark the 15th Anniversary of the National Agency for the Control of Aids, NACA in Abuja.
He said that NACA is not disappointing the nation and should be applauded for properly managing available resources.
Similarly, the representative of Global fund Mr. Jean Thomas, said that the global fund has not regretted making Nigeria a global partner.
Mr Thomas said that ”the Global Fund is investing one point one one seven million dollars in Nigeria and the bulk of the donation will go to HIV prevention and control.”
He noted that the alignment between Nigeria and Global Fund is first of its kind.
“The global fund will continue to play its role to mobilise more funds to see NACA progressive” Mr Thomas said.
In his goodwill message, the Secretary to the government of the federation, Boss Mustapha said that ”the level of achievements recorded in HIV response shows that with proper collaborations, Nigeria can achieve more.”
He called on state governments to take responsibility and be more involved in HIV response.
Mustapha said; “While congratulating NACA for its achievements in the national HIV response coordination, I must emphasize the importance of partnerships as well as the harmonisation of programmes for greater impact.
”It is in this regard that I call on State governments to take their rightful place in this partnership as we develop a sustainability framework for the national response.”
”Government acknowledges the immense contributions of our development partners, especially the US President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GF-ATM) and the United Nations systems. We look forward to a sustained partnership with shared responsibility in the last mile for ending AIDS by the year 2030,” Mr. Mustapha said.
The SGF also unveiled the “National HIV Response Coordination Landmark Achievements 2015-2021.”
The Nigerian Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said that the Nigeria HIV response has evolved significantly through the activities of NACA.
Dr Ehanire congratulated NACA for all the achievements it has recorded.
In his presentation on the achievements of NACA from 2016 to 2022, the Director General of the agency, Dr Aliyu Gumel Gambo, said that ”February 22 of every year provides an opportunity for reflection on the successes of the national response, celebrate all communities, partners, and stakeholders for the milestones achieved and renew commitments to end AIDS by 2030.”
He said that Nigeria was on the verge of achieving UNAID’S programmatic indicators for epidemic control due to tremendous growth in our programs over the last 6 years.
“This year we expect a tremendous growth in our program for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) as we take key steps towards ensuring “no child is born HIV positive in Nigeria… Our strategies in programme alignment by all stakeholders, service integration at community levels and strong political support at all levels made our national response the most Covid-19 resilient in the world with the highest yield at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic” Dr. Gambo said.
He also said that as Nigeria approach epidemic control,”there is the need to end all forms of inequality, leave no one behind as well as ensure inclusive implementation of our programs at community levels if we must sustain the gains made in the last 6 years.”
“With what we have achieved in the past years, we need to create a sustainability module.”
Dr Gambo listed the landmark achievements of NACA to include Implementation of HIV self testing, Economic empowerment of over 12,000 vulnerable population in 15 States, operation of Data command centre, growth in Key population, placement of more persons on treatment amongst others.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
