By Matthew Denis
The First Lady, Sen. Remi Tinubu has called for passionate advocacy, campaign towards combating HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
She made the calls during her Keynote address at the 2025 World AIDS Day on the theme: ‘Overcoming Disruption sustaining Nigeria’s HIV response’ held in Abuja on Monday.
The First Lady said “Nigerians need to support the renewed hope agenda of President Ahmed Tinubu by elimination of HIV by 2030
She implore traditional rulers and religious leaders to collaborate in ensuring that their communities support the medication of this ailments.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Development, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako during his opening remark emphasized the importance of eliminating AIDS by 2030.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to achieving the goal of ending AIDS by 2030, emphasizing the need for sustained efforts to prevent new infections and provide treatment to those affected.
According to him despite progress, Nigeria still faces significant challenges in its fight against HIV/AIDS, including a high prevalence of HIV among certain populations and limited access to healthcare services.
Dr.Salako highlighted the need for a multi-sectoral approach to combat HIV/AIDS, involving government agencies, healthcare providers, community leaders, civil society, and individuals.
He emphasized the importance of preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, citing Nigeria’s high number of cases and the need for concerted efforts to eliminate this mode of transmission.
The Minister called for increased support for vulnerable groups, including women and children, who are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.
He tasked on the state governments, private sector, and community leaders to scale up interventions aimed at preventing HIV transmission among children and to support the sustainability of HIV programs.
On her part, the Director General of National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Temitope Ilori reaffirmed the agency commitment on continuous sensitization and collaboration with relevant government agencies, international donors and the private sectors in eliminating AIDS in the country.
She said “Nigeria has made significant strides in HIV control, achieving two of the three global 95-95-95 targets. Specifically, 87% of people living with HIV know their status, 98% of those who know their status are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression.
The DG revealed that the country has recorded a 46% decline in new HIV infections over the past decade, alongside improvements in prevention of mother-to-child transmission, early infant diagnosis, and pediatric treatment.
Dr. Ilori praised President Bola Tinubo’s approval of a $200 million emergency fund to prevent disruption of HIV services amid global funding uncertainties, highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to national ownership and sustainability.
The DG noted that there are challenges in terms of stigma and discrimination, High pediatric HIV burden, Reliance on external funding, Service gaps in hard-to-reach areas among others.