The Nigerian government has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030, with a renewed focus on accountability and sustainability. Speaking at the 2024 World AIDS Day (WAD) commemoration in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, emphasized the administration’s determination to strengthen the country’s HIV response. He announced the integration of HIV programs into a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp), aligning resources with national health priorities.
“With an HIV prevalence of 1.4% and an estimated two million Nigerians living with the virus, it is critical to adapt our response to meet the needs of vulnerable groups,” Salako said. He stressed that the SWAp initiative would ensure government ownership and accountability in leading the HIV response, particularly for preventing new infections among children and improving access to treatment.
The Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Temitope Ilori, highlighted the importance of WAD as a reminder of the ongoing battle against HIV. She noted this year’s theme, “Take the Right Path: Sustain HIV Response, Stop HIV Among Children to End AIDS in Nigeria by 2030,” underscoring the need to focus on preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and scaling up prevention services. Ms. Ilori praised milestones such as the launch of the PMTCT and Paediatric Acceleration Committee and initiatives to strengthen local production of HIV-related commodities.
Nollywood actress Funke Akindele was unveiled as Nigeria’s National Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) during the event. In her acceptance speech, Akindele pledged to raise awareness, combat stigma, and advocate for equitable access to HIV treatment. She emphasized a human rights-based approach to ending the epidemic, particularly in vulnerable populations. “With determination, I will contribute meaningfully towards ending HIV/AIDS as a global health threat,” she said.
The UNAIDS Country Representative, Leo Zekeng, commended Nigeria for significant progress in the past two decades, noting that 1.6 million of the two million people living with HIV in the country are currently receiving treatment. However, Zekeng pointed out persistent challenges, including stigma, discrimination, and unequal access to services in rural and underserved areas.
World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1, honors those who have died from the disease and raises awareness about the importance of knowing one’s HIV status. Nigerian stakeholders at the event called for collective action to expand antenatal care, address social barriers, and strengthen community-based approaches to ensure no child is born with HIV and the epidemic is eradicated by the target year.
