The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) have sought collaborations to end HIV stigma in Nigeria.
Stakeholders commended the country’s significant strides in the battle against the disease but said there was a need to eliminate stigma during a roundtable discussion in Abuja on Wednesday, January 24.
“There is improved awareness, increased access to antiretroviral therapy, and a decline in HIV prevalence,” said Dr. Peter Nwaokenneya, the Ministry’s Deputy Director/Head of Treatment Care and Support Program, National HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme (NASCP).
Speaking on the theme; “Now is the Time: Fighting Paediatric HIV Through Strategic Partnership,” the Country Manager of Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), Dr Nguavese Torbunde said the goal was to eliminate AIDS in children.
Torbunde said strengthening healthcare infrastructure, increasing awareness, and fostering collaboration between governments, NGOs, and pharmaceutical companies were essential in closing the gap in paediatric HIV/AIDS care.
A Consultant Paediatrician at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Rosemary Ugwu said the involvement of young people in decision-making processes and the media’s role in promoting inclusion were crucial in the fight against paediatric HIV.
Ugwu said efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, early detection, and access to antiretroviral therapy were also key in reducing the transmission of HIV to children.
The National Coordinator of Positive Youths in Nigeria (APYIN), Mr Aaron Sunday, said eliminating the disease in 2030 requires empowerment, partnership, and trust among stakeholders.