FG reaffirms 2030 goal to eliminate child AIDS

Dr Adebobola Bashorun, National Coordinator of the National AIDS and STDs

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating AIDS in children by 2030.

Dr Adebobola Bashorun, National Coordinator of the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme

By Folasade Akpan

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating AIDS in children by 2030.

Dr Adebobola Bashorun, National Coordinator of the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme (NASCP), made the pledge on Monday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ workshop on the Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children.

Bashorun highlighted that Nigeria had made significant progress over the past two decades in reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS among adults and children.

He attributed the progress to the support of global partners such as the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund, and others.

“The difficult part of the race has been completed, and we have scaled up. We are not where we were 20 years ago.

“Now, we are closer to ending the epidemic, sustaining treatment, reducing new infections, and ensuring that everyone who needs treatment receives it,” he said.

He added that Nigeria was nearing 90 per cent treatment coverage for adults and was now focusing on achieving similar coverage for children.

To support this effort, Bashorun revealed that the Federal Government had approved 200 million dollars for the health sector to bridge the gap left by the suspension of USAID funding.

He also noted ongoing investments in logistics, human resources, and healthcare infrastructure, while emphasising the need to revise implementation strategies for efficiency.

“We now want models that can deliver more services with fewer resources. With the unlocking of the healthcare value chain, we can now quantify local content and enhance our approach.”

Bashorun also pointed out that Nigeria now had a robust national data reporting system, a major shift from the past reliance on external implementing partners.

Also speaking, Dr Modupe Elendu, the Prevention-of-Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) focal person at UNICEF, outlined the four pillars of the Global Alliance, which comprised 12 countries working to end AIDS in children.

“These pillars include ensuring no child with HIV is left behind, preventing mother-to-child transmission, universal testing for all pregnant women, strengthening PMTCT programmes, and addressing barriers to effective implementation.”

Elendu noted that, although challenges remained, progress was evident.

“We now have comprehensive data systems covering the entire country, a big step up from past dependency on external data sources,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop aims to review the implementation of the Global Alliance Plan, identify service delivery gaps for children and adolescents, and gather stakeholder input for global reporting.

It also seeks to strengthen coordination and maintain sustained stakeholder engagement.

Launched in Aug. 2022, the Global Alliance works to close critical gaps in HIV services for children and adolescents.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)