FG praises Nigeria’s response to HIV/AIDS
Document launched to scale up HIV response
The Federal Government has mentioned Nigeria has made vital progress within the battle in opposition to HIV/AIDS and is on monitor to finish HIV as a public well being emergency by 2030.
Meanwhile, the federal authorities has launched a nationwide HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STI) coverage doc geared toward strengthening current motion frameworks to scale back the unfold of the illness and handle its impression. Some of them had been introduced.
Speaking at a press convention to commemorate World AIDS Day 2023 in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, mentioned that with present HIV remedy protection of over 90%, Nigeria is on monitor to obtain this purpose. He mentioned that issues are progressing nicely, including: There are at present 1.6 million folks dwelling with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) on remedy on this nation, out of 1.9 million folks dwelling with HIV/AIDS.
However, Alausa famous that the nation can’t obtain lasting progress within the battle in opposition to HIV/AIDS with out the energetic involvement of native communities.
He mentioned communities contribute to the HIV/AIDS response in some ways, and group management and advocacy make sure that responses stay related and evidence-based, that folks stay on the heart and that nobody is left behind. He added that there are now not any.
He famous that this 12 months’s theme is “Leading the Community.” They emphasised that communities have an important affect in shaping the HIV response, and that is in keeping with the commendable progress revamped the previous twenty years in the direction of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030. It was apparent.
Also, Dr. Adebobola Bashorun, National Coordinator of the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Program (NASCP), famous the regular decline within the annual variety of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths.
However, he famous that 270,000 of the 1.9 million PLHIV instances stay unidentified, and that by 2022 there will probably be an estimated 159,923 kids aged 0 to 14 dwelling with HIV in Nigeria. mentioned. This nation has one of many highest charges of childhood HIV an infection on this planet.
“Also, 20,364 HIV-exposed infants (HEIs) had EID samples taken inside 2 months of beginning, leading to an EID protection fee of solely 21 % and a MTCT fee of 14 % at 6 weeks of age. , 23 % from breastfeeding.
“An estimated 96,517 pregnant ladies dwelling with HIV require PMTCT, however solely 34% had been enrolled on antiretroviral remedy (ART) in 2022.
“However, in 2022, 50,676 people living with HIV (CLHIV) will be receiving treatment, representing 32 percent of the estimated number of CLHIV cases.” It famous that regardless of present efforts to hyperlink HIV remedy, many kids stay undiagnosed and subsequently unable to entry life-saving ART.
He added that it will be important to establish these kids and begin them on ART as quickly as potential. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM), Hon. Amobi Ogah, mentioned it is extremely necessary for Nigeria to recommit to decreasing international assist to at the very least 50 per cent. mentioned.
The paperwork launched by the Minister are National Guidelines for the Treatment and Care of Viral Hepatitis – 2023 and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Materials for Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Demand Generation and Scaling – 2023.
Others included commonplace working procedures (SOPs) for PMTCT scale-up, jingles in 10 languages for PMTCT scale-up – 2023, and IEC supplies for HIV self-testing scale-up.
Source: guardian.ng