Tag: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

In commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has called for action to empower women and girls, celebrating their achievements while championing action to break down barriers to health, equality, and opportunity.

In a statement, the foundation said: “This year, AHF Nigeria joins the global movement to demand an end to the inequities that hold women and girls back with an IWD commemoration on March 10, 2025, at the AHF Nigeria Benue regional office to remind everyone that when women and girls thrive, so do entire communities.

“Despite decades of progress, women and girls remain disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where they account for more than 60% of new HIV infections. Globally, gender-based violence, lack of access to healthcare, reproductive rights restrictions, income inequality, and limited educational opportunities further entrench disparities.

“Access to affordable menstrual health products and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education also remain out of reach for millions, compromising dignity, mobility, and opportunity.

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“For IWD 2025, AHF Nigeria will be hosting a forum that brings together women from Benue state government Mentor Mothers’ program and mentor mothers from across AHF facilities in the Makurdi axis, including young women and girls from AHF Nigeria community Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) cohorts and female members of the Community Advocacy Club from Adaka and Agwan Jukun, Makurdi, Benue state. AHF Girls Act members from the communities and facility affiliated shall also be in attendance.

“The forum will examine the impact and efforts of mentor mothers while looking at ways at which they can also entrench age-appropriate sexuality education in their various communities. The forum is also an opportunity to celebrate the exceptional champions at the forefront of eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS.

“Joining AHF Nigeria to commemorate the 2025 IWD is the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Benue state Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV/AIDS focal person, Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (ASHWAN), Benue Chapter, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA),  Ministry of Justice, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Lawyers Alert, including AHF partner advocates and CBOs.

“At AHF Nigeria, our desire is that we continue to uplift, empower, and advocate for a world where every woman has the chance to live healthy and prosper. Eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS is an important step to empower and uplift not just the women, but the family as a unit’’, said Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director (CPD).

“Women and girls everywhere deserve the power, knowledge, and resources to take control of their health, futures, and lives,” said Loretta Wong, AHF Deputy Chief of Global Advocacy and Policy. “Real change requires more than words—it demands concrete commitments, including expanding access to HIV prevention and treatment, sexual and reproductive healthcare services, and economic empowerment. On this International Women’s Day, AHF reaffirms its promise to ensure that no woman or girl is left behind.”

“AHF continues prioritizing women and girls by advocating for policies that protect and uplift them worldwide. From distributing free menstrual products and combating gender-based violence to expanding access to HIV/AIDS services, AHF is dedicated to ensuring every woman and girl can lead a healthy, empowered life.”

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), a non-profit international organisation, conducted an awareness campaign in Lokoja on Thursday to highlight the importance of condom use and raise awareness about Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

Dr Onyeyili Ikemefuna, Kogi State Coordinator of AHF Nigeria, stated that the roadshow was part of the activities marking International Condom Day 2025, observed globally on February 13.

He explained that the campaign aimed to promote safer sex practices, reduce stigma, and equip young people with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their sexual health.

“The day aims to educate people about the risks of STIs, unintended pregnancies, and the importance of using condoms to prevent these risks.

 “It is observed just before Valentine’s Day to remind people that love should be accompanied by responsible and safe sexual behaviour,” Ikemefuna said.

He encouraged young people to embrace condom use, emphasising that it was essential for protecting against STIs and preventing unintended pregnancies.

 “Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, and people will engage in sex whether we like it or not.

“We can’t stop them, but we advise condom use because it is better to be safe than to seek treatment,” he added.

Ikemefuna also mentioned that AHF Nigeria had produced enough condoms, which were being distributed for free as part of the campaign.

Dr Folashade Ayoade, Secretary to the Kogi State Government, who joined the campaign, commended AHF Nigeria and other stakeholders for the initiative.

She encouraged people to use condoms, stressing that it remained an effective option for triple protection: preventing HIV, STIs, and unplanned pregnancies.

Mr Steve Aborishade, Advocacy and Marketing Manager at AHF Nigeria, underscored the need to promote condom use, especially among young people, to combat the rising rates of STIs.

“We always tell them to abstain, but we realise many cannot, and that’s why we are seeing an increase in STIs, including HIV/AIDS.

“With the theme ‘Kuku Use Am, No Shake Body,’ we are targeting young people to promote condom use, which can protect their dreams,” he said.”

The event included a health talk on STIs and a demonstration on how to properly use condoms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roadwalk kicked off at the Ministry of Health, passing through Post Office and FEN Junction, and concluded at the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) Andankolo campus.

AHF operates in more than 46 countries, providing cutting-edge HIV care and advocacy, regardless of a person’s ability to pay, and advocating for policies that benefit the HIV community. 

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has invited Nigerians to join the movement on International Condom Day (ICD) to celebrate condoms and discover fun, creative ways to promote condom use – a simple yet powerful way to stay safer.

In a statement, it said: “This year, AHF Nigeria will commemorate ICD at Lokoja, the capital city of Kogi state on February 13 with exciting activities, free condom distribution, and engaging education on condom use.

“Despite more than 1 million STIs being acquired daily worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, condom use is declining in many parts of the world. Ending HIV/AIDS must include prioritizing the prevention of new HIV cases – a goal that cannot be achieved without promoting condoms as an essential tool.

“To address this, AHF Nigeria’s ICD event will include a road walk involving students of higher institutions and members of the civil society in Kogi, including the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport worker (NURTW) with government officials from the state Ministry of Health and the State Agency fot the Control of AIDS amongst others.

“There will be free distribution of AHF branded condoms (Love & Icon) as we match from the Kogi state Ministry of Health through the Post Office, all the way to the Ganaja bridge, through the Specialist Hospital and terminates at the Federal University Lokoja.

“Across the six other AHF Nigeria states (Abuja-FCT, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River and Nasarawa), testing campaign shall take place with free condom distribution while youths from Kogi, Abuja, Benue, Cross River and Nasarawa are participating in a video challenge to promote safe sex.

“We’re reminding everyone that using condoms is the best way to prevent HIV, other STIs, and unplanned pregnancies. AHF created this day to promote safer sex and make condoms accessible for all. When used correctly, condoms are proven to be effective protection for you and your partner. So, no excuses—wrap it up every time”, said Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director.

“Condoms are the most cost-effective method of protecting against HIV and other STIs, yet many Africans lack access due to barriers such as stockouts, unaffordable prices, and high taxation,” said Dr. Penninah Iutung, AHF Africa Bureau Chief. “Additionally, labelling condoms as medical devices, further increases cost and reduces their affordability. This International Condom Day, we call on governments and stakeholders to remove these barriers, prioritize funding, and ensure free or affordable condoms are accessible to all who need them.”

“Observed annually on February 13, International Condom Day brings awareness about the importance of condoms and other vital sexual health issues. On ICD and beyond, we remind everyone that condoms are safer, sexy, and your best protection against HIV, other STIs, and unplanned pregnancies.

…offer HIV, sexual reproductive health education

A Non Governmental Organization (NGO) AIDS Healthcare Foundation, (AHF) Nigeria, has set up an advocacy club know as “Power Voices” in Adaka Community, Makurdi Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state to empower community members to identify their challenges and be able to advocate for solutions to them.

AHF, a global organization, which is working in about 45 countries globally, has its presence in 13 African countries, Nigeria inclusive, with with a Bureau office in Kampala, Uganda.

Speaking at the advocacy orientation and inauguration meeting at the community last Friday, the Advocacy and Marketing Manager AHF Nigeria, Steve Aborisade, said the Advocacy club is an initiative of the African Bureau of the Organization.

“It is their initiative that we should initiate Community Advocacy clubs called the Power Voices. The sole purpose is to empower communities so that, on their own, they can identify the challenges that they are facing and be able to advocate and solve these problems by themselves. 

“So what AHF is doing is to build their capacity to know what advocacy entails and the processes involved for a successful advocacy. We will also help them to bring in the needed partnerships to address the challenges that they have identified.

“We are also building their capacity to be able to implement some health awareness activities in the community,, especially in HIV education, sexual and reproductive health education, Tuberculosis among others.”

Aborisade said AHF is establishing the clubs across their seven States of operation in Nigeria stressing that “it is vital because for you to achieve anything you have to start from the community where we all came from.

“The communities have been neglected and this is our way to tag them along. So we are building their capacity to know that this is the problem and also know how to rally themselves for solutions,” he said.

He appreciated the leader of the community, Chief Daniel Uzo for being welcoming and rallying members of his Community for the advocacy meeting saying, going forward, AHF will work with the club executives to support them in tackling some of the critical issues they have identified that are affecting their community.

He also expressed joy that after the first training, the executives were already demonstrating some knowledge of advocacy to build others up and make a mark in the lives of the community..

Also speaking, the  State Adherence Counselor for AHF Nigeria, Kenneth Ode, said the meeting was to initiate advocacy club to ensure that every community has a voice to bring up their challenges and peculiar issues which is not out there in the society.

He said the club which comprised of 25 members will stand as a voice of the community to the larger society.

“It’s a community owned club and AHF will be collaborating and guiding them while they work. We have started this in Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Anambra, Kogi and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and for Benue, this community is privileged because we are flagging off this idea in Adaka Community in Makurdi.

The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Advocacy Club Adaka Makurdi, Moses Usue, appreciated AHF for bringing the initiative to them. He said they have been facing a lot of issues in the community but they do not have a platform to voice them out.

Usue who identified challenges facing the community to include scarcity of portable drinking water, lack of health facilities, issues of early marriages, youths indulging in drugs, displacements of families especially women and children, increasing number of out of school children, poverty among others noted that with the support of AHF, their voices of appeal for help would be heard and attended to.

He pledged to mobilize his people to ensure they the club achieve it’s aims.

Also speaking, the Assistant Secretary of Advocacy Club Adaka, Priscilla Tule, we feel very happy. We have faced a lot of challenges but we have not had a platform such as this to put out our voices. So we see this as a big privilege and we are happy to embrace it.

In addition to challenges of water and health facilities, Tule lamented that cases of insecurity has led to high cases of robbery, teenage pregnancies and drug abuse.

She said going forward they are calling on the state government to establish standard Government hospitals and health clinics as well send health professionals to man the hospital as they equip the hospital with modern equipment so that those of them who cannot afford private hospitals can access proper health care.

She called for the establishment of entrepreneurship and skill acquisition centers to enable them get trainings that would make them self reliant.

Earlier, the Central Chief of Adaka Community, Chief Daniel Uzo, appreciated AHF for their interest in the situation of things in Adaka community. 

Uzo said “They discovered that we have three main challenges here, these are lack of water, healthcare facility and the issue of armed herdsmen attacks and they have offered to assist us address the issue of water scarcity and get the Primary Healthcare Centre fully functional. 

“I am very happy because they came to encourage and support my community to be involved in development activities. We will ensure that when these things are done for us we will take possession and protect them like our personal property.