Over 60 per cent adolescent ignorant about HIV, says NACA

Moses Emorinken, Abuja

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Wednesday revealed that over 60 per cent of adolescents and young people across the country do not have significant knowledge about HIV and adequate sexual education about the disease.

This was made known by the Director-General of NACA, Dr. Gambo Aliyu, during a press conference to commemorate the World AIDS Day, with theme: ‘communities make the difference’.

According to him, “Nigeria accounts for more than half of new infections and deaths from AIDS-related illness according to the UNAIDS 2018 report. Less than 40 per cent of our adolescent and young people, who are the leaders of tomorrow, have correct knowledge and comprehensive knowledge about HIV.

“This year’s theme is ‘communities make the difference’, therefore, we recognize the essential role that communities have played and continue to play in the AIDS response at the international, national and local levels. Communities include networks of people living with or affected by HIV, women and young people, peer educators, counselors, community health workers, door-to-door service providers, civil society organizations, religious and traditional leaders, policy makers and activists.

“Communities are vital to facilitating an enabling environment that promotes equal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services for Nigerians. They are also vital to safeguarding the rights of Nigerians living with HIV.

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“As Nigeria strives to achieve epidemic control in an environment where international funding for HIV is reducing and Nigeria’s domestic funding for HIV is estimated to be below 30 per cent, the efforts of communities is urgently needed to ensure that HIV remains on the political agenda and galvanize International and National funding for HIV”.

According to the Senate Committee Chairman on Primary Health Care, Sen. Chukwuka Utazi, “This campaign is key to Nigeria’s effort to achieve the third 90 UNAIDS target (that is, percentage of Nigerians living with HIV on treatment who have suppressed viral loads) by 2020.

“As we launch this campaign early next week in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigerian communities will be charged with the responsibility of supporting their fellow Nigerians living with HIV to achieve undetectable viral load for their own good and for the good of Nigeria”.

The Chairman ATM Committee, added: “As we review Nigeria’s 2018 score card towards achieving the 90-90-90 UNAIDS target, it has been established that with regards to the first 90 (i.e. percentage of people living with HIV who know their status), 74 per cent of Nigerian women 15 years and above living with HIV know their status however only 63 per cent of Nigerian men 15 years and above living with HIV know their status.”