NACA Reveals 160,000 Children Living With HIV In Nigeria.
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has revealed that approximately 160,000 children aged 0-14 are living with HIV in Nigeria. This figure highlights the country’s challenge in preventing mother-to-child transmission of the virus, which currently has a coverage rate below 33%, far short of the 95% target.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja ahead of World AIDS Day 2024, NACA’s Director-General, Dr Temitope Ilori, quoted data from the UNAIDS 2023 report. She emphasised that Nigeria’s overall HIV prevalence is 1.4% among people aged 15-64 years, with an estimated two million individuals living with the virus. The country records about 22,000 new HIV infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths annually.
Dr Ilori underscored the significance of World AIDS Day, observed annually on 1 December, as a platform to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. This year’s theme is “Take the Rights Path: Sustain HIV Response, Stop HIV among Children to End AIDS in Nigeria by 2030”.
To address the challenges, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has established a national acceleration committee to oversee implementation. NACA has also launched state-level committees in three states, engaging directly with governors to ensure no child is born with HIV.
“This initiative will eventually cover all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” Dr Ilori stated. She added that NACA is working with critical stakeholders to develop a sustainability roadmap that secures Nigeria’s HIV response programme, even in the event of donor support withdrawal.
The renewed efforts by NACA and its partners reflect Nigeria’s commitment to achieving the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
