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Tag: UNAIDS

  • HIV: FG introduces new guidelines to curtail spread

    HIV: FG introduces new guidelines to curtail spread

    The Federal Government on Tuesday said it was set to implement new guidelines for  HIV prevention, treatment and care to consolidate previous efforts in tackling the scourge.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, stated this at the opening of a two-day North-West Zonal Dissemination of 2016 National Guidelines for HIV prevention, Treatment and Care in Kaduna.

    Represented by Mr Segilola Araoye, his Special Adviser, Adewole said the guideline would ensure that those affected by HIV receive free health service at all levels in both public and private health institutions.

    “From this day hence, everyone who tests positive to HIV is automatically eligible for treatment and this applies to everyone with equal emphasis, child, man and women, pregnant or not.

    “From today onward we are duty bound to offer antiretroviral drugs as prevention to all persons who are at high risk of contracting HIV infection.

    “From today forward all persons on treatment are entitled to at least one viral load test per year.

    “From today hence, we will place greater emphasis on differentiated systems of care that are adjustable to the individual needs of the patient,’’ the minister said.

    Adewole noted that the recommendations in the 2016 guidelines by current standard were audacious, unambiguous and unapologetically pro-patient.

    The minister, however, appealed to state governments and other stakeholders to efficiently implement the recommendations of the guidelines to the later in an effort to tackle the menace.

    “For this to happen, we must change course a bit and find the courage to depart from the strategies that have not worked well.

    “The guidelines could not have come at a less opportune moment, as they will serve as the necessary catalyst for attainment of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 initiative.

    “And today, we hopefully bring to end the argument over deeply divisive option B and option B+ saga if our guidelines have been careful, to avoid the terms perhaps, it is time we stopped using them all together,“ the minister said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes available statistics showing that no fewer than 3.4 million people are currently affected by the HIV and AIDS scourge.

    However, the health minister said, with the 2016 guidelines things would be better, as there were already 860,000 patients on Anti-retro-viral treatment (ART) in some 1000 comprehensive HIV treatment centres.

    According to him, that has led to the decline morbity and mortality associated with HIV and AIDS in the country.

    “I simply cannot accept that our collective hard work against HIV and AIDS in Nigeria is wasted effort.

    “I accept that things can be done better but even at that we have achieved tremendous success in our battle against HIV.

    “And I am strengthened in this belief by the change in public perception from the fear, panic hysteria and horror of 2000 to the calm (Please be careful HIV is still out there) attitude that is the prevailing public sentiment about HIV and AIDS today,’’ he said.

    Adewole said these guidelines would work because they were acceptable to the vast majority of stakeholders.

    “They are acceptable because they are the product of huge and representative stakeholders consensus, with over 170 people contributed to the development of this document.’’

    He commended the various stakeholders for contributing to the development of the document and advised non-governmental organisations supporting the health sector and HIV interventions to work closely with the ministry.

    Adewole while thanking the states governments for their active role the fight against HIV and AIDS, appealed to People PLHIVs to come on board as stakeholders in the effort to eradicate the scourge.

    NAN reports that officials from eight states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara Zamfara and Jigawa are attending the two-day event.

    The event, being organised by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) and the Management Sciences for Health, is also being attended by and other HIV control implementing partners.

  • UNAIDS tasks Nigeria on reduction of HIV-associated TB deaths

    The Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), has urged Nigeriaand seven other countries to scale up action to reduce the number of tuberculosis (TB) deaths among HIV patients by year 2020.

    The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Dr Michel Sidibé, made the call in a message on World Tuberculosis Day, commemorated annually on March 24.

    Sidibé explained that  Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Mozambique, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia – account for around 70 per cent of all TB deaths among people living with HIV.

    He said scaling up action in these countries would put the world on track to reach the ambitious target in the 2016 UN Political Declaration on Ending AIDS of reducing TB-related deaths.

    Sidibé  said the target is to reduce it by 75 per cent by 2020.

    He said weaknesses in health systems are continuing to result in missed opportunities to diagnose TB among people living with HIV- around 57 per cent of HIV-associated TB cases remained untreated in 2015.

    “TB is the most common cause of hospital admission and death among people living with HIV.

    “In 2015, 1.1 million people died from an AIDS-related illness- around 400,000 of whom died from TB, including 40,000 children.

    “It is unacceptable that so many people living with HIV die from tuberculosis and that most are undiagnosed or untreated.

    “Only by stepping up collaboration between HIV and tuberculosis programmes to accelerate joint action, can the world reach its critical HIV and tuberculosis targets,” he said.

    Inadequate linkages to care after diagnosis, poor tracking of people and loss to follow-up, failure to reach the people most at risk of disease, particularly marginalized populations.

    This he said also includes people who inject drugs, prisoners and migrant workers—and poor treatment outcomes contribute to the lack of progress.

    “In 2014, around 11 per cent of HIV-positive TB patients died, compared with three per cent of HIV-negative TB patients.

    “Early detection and effective treatment are essential to prevent TB-associated deaths, especially among people living with HIV,” he said.

    According to him, drug resistance is also a major concern, adding in 2015, there were an estimated 480,000 new cases of multidrug-resistant TB.

    Sidibé said the recent approval of two new medicines to treat TB, the first in more than 60 years, is improving the outlook for people with drug-resistant TB.

    “UNAIDS calls for the elimination of TB deaths among people living with HIV and for health systems to be strengthened and services integrated to allow for a more rapid scale-up of HIV and TB programming.

    “Countries must expand HIV prevention and treatment programmes that include regular TB screening, preventive therapy and early treatment, since they are simple, affordable and effective programmes that prevent TB deaths.

    “UNAIDS is continuing to support countries to Fast-Track their efforts to reach the critical 2020 targets of the 2016 Political Declaration.

    “As part of these efforts, UNAIDS is urging countries to intensify action in 35 high-priority countries to accelerate results by implementing focused, high-impact programmes to advance progress in ending the AIDS epidemic.”

     

  • U.S. Assures of steady funding for HIV/AIDS

    U.S. Assures of steady funding for HIV/AIDS

    The United State has assured Nigeria of steady funding for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and has appealed for increased domestic funding to combat HIV/AIDS.

    The declaration was made by Ms Shirley Dady, the Coordinator of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR),while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

    Dady said that the organisation is expecting its funding in Nigeria to be constant, adding that “this year we have a budget of $400 million for the HIV/AIDS response”.

    “We are looking at ways where we can be more efficient with the resources so that we can increase the number of people we place on treatment every year.

    “We are hoping that the government of Nigeria can also contribute and increase funding in a meaningful way to conquer the epidemic,’’ she said.

    She said the U.S. government is committed to working with Nigeria to achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target which will allow us to get ahead of the epidemic.

    The coordinator said: “We are looking to diagnose 90 per cent of people on the HIV; place 90 per cent of the HIV-positive people on treatment.’’

    She added that the ambitious UNAIDS target also aimed at reducing the viral load by 90 per cent to reduce HIV transmission in the Nigeria.

    She said there is a new technology that encourages private testing of HIV; the kit will hopefully be available in Nigeria soon.

    Besides, Dady said stigma and discrimination which affects the gains in controlling HIV/AIDS by 2020 and ending HIV/AIDS by 2030.

    The official added that there is no reason to discriminate among people living with the virus, stressing that HIV is not different from other non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

    “If one is found to be positive to HIV; he can be placed on the ART and to reduce the viral load and ability to transmit the virus, and it can also help one to remain healthy.

    “Back in the early days of HIV it was seen as a death sentence, people did not find out how to live with the virus until when it is very late and many of them just passed away.

    “Today when you found out that you are positive you start ART and live positively,’’ she said.

    Dady said this year’s World AIDS Day is set to think about our colleagues who are HIV positive and those who had passed away due to the epidemic.

    She added that day would also be used to commemorate and think about those people who are now able to live positively based on the new advances and treatment.

    Earlier, Stuart Symington, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, said the U.S. government has supported Nigeria to put 762,000 people on antiretroviral therapy.

    He added that 12,665,000 Nigerians were supported by the U.S. government to know their status.

    However, he appealed to the Nigerian government to re-strengthen the healthcare system to augment the support of its partners.

  • UNAIDS partners StarTimes on anti-AIDS programmes in Africa

    UNAIDS and StarTimes are discussing a roadmap targeted at delivering anti-HIV/AIDS TV content for increased awareness and positive reorientation to Africans through the StarTimes network on the continent.

    UNAIDS Executive Director and Under Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Michel Sidibé, said UNAIDS may establish  a deal with StarTimes to build a new bridge between Africa and China during a meeting with China-Africa Business Council in Beijing.

    Sidibé said: “I can just confess that all the interventions were so pertinent and relevant. Collaborating with StarTimes is also for me very important because what we are going to project is a new vision, which is to reach more people and create social reorientation, which will also ensure that everybody can benefit from the digital revolution. StarTimes technologies, innovations, creativity and international stature can help expand access to information and aid Africans to live healthier.”

    He continued: “For me, this is the only way to build a new bridge between Africa and China, through our partnership for the future to come.”

    UNAIDS Director  for Communications and Global Advocacy, Annemarie Hou said UNAIDS and StarTimes could work together to deliver anti-HIV/AIDS TV content to Africans.

    “We are working with OAFLA (the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS) and First Ladies and we are doing an excellent work on content, and they are also asking for more TV content. So, if we can work together, let’s think about things that will really help their message to be delivered to everyone in Africa.”

    “At a high-level meeting in New York in June, global leaders committed through a Political Declaration to double the efforts to end AIDS by 2030,” said GuoZiqi, Vice President of StarTimes Group, adding that StarTimes is ready to join the campaign of anti-HIV/AIDS and StarTimes would contribute its efforts to help achieve the goal of zero-AIDS in 2030.’’

    StarTimes is the leading digital-TV network operator and content provider in Africa, covering 90 per cent of the continent’s population and having 8 million subscribers in Africa. As a responsible media group, StarTimes has made great efforts through various initiatives to support the African people in areas including management of epidemics and deadly diseases like Ebola Virus in 2014.

  • UNAIDS cannot stop government from charging fees

    UNAIDS cannot stop government from charging fees

    State programme manager for United Nations’ health Programme on HIV and AIDS, Dr. Olubunmi Asa,  says the organisation will continue to do its best to help Nigeria overcome the HIV and AIDS challenge, but insists that the organisation is not a pressure group.

    The situation at the moment is grim, because a lot of people living with HIV in the country cannot access their drugs, due to the new service charges introduced. What is UNAIDS doing right to in any way influence a positive change in that area?

    UNAIDS is the United Nations joint programme on HIV and AIDS. It is a programme put together by the UN to address issues concerning HIV and AIDS in its totality and a critical point of reference for us is advocacy. That is one area we have been very dutiful over the years, since the scourge of HIV started. We have been in the forefront and the current reality that we’re facing is giving the country director, Dr Bilali Camara sleepless nights. This includes the current realities of dwindling funds; moving together with other partners to get the government of Nigeria to appreciate the current situation and see how funding and support can be mobilised to address this issue. Moreover, this is a very critical period. We have a very narrow window of opportunity to really break the virus. So if we’re able to generate investments; if we’re able to test 90% confirmation of people who are HIV positive, if we’re able to put 90% of those positive on treatment, and ensure that 90% of them have suppressed viral load, then we are able to break transmission of HIV/AIDS to a large extent; then the society and everyone benefits ultimately. That is the target that we’re working at with the government to achieve.

    NACA has announced that the spread of HIV/AIDS has reduced by 35%. A few people have countered this declaration, more of them citing the fact that some people living with the virus are now unable to access the drugs. What’s your take here?

    The reality is that a lot of strides have been made over the years in the HIV arena in Nigeria. We are not yet where we want to be, but we know that we have left the bus stop, which is why the current situation that is playing out is not something that we want to allow to thrive. If people are not accessing services, knowing their status and are not able to stay on their drugs, then certainly it’s going to boomerang. If people don’t take their drugs regularly due to one hindrance or the other, then they’re not able to take their medications and are going to lose the chance to put the virus at bay; and so the chances of transmission continues. And heaven forbids that we go back to where we started from years back. We know that the govt is sensitive to this, and we will continue to engage and ensure that the needed is done.

    How much does the UNAIDS commit to the battle against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria?

    It might not be easy to put that in Naira and kobo; but generally, we have a mandate to support the government of the day in several areas of our mandate, including HIV/AIDS. There are so many things that money might probably not buy; everything in totality that we do to address the issues of HIV/AIDS. Issues surrounding engagement with the government; issues surrounding engagement with the respective funders, engagement with civil societies, who would speak as voice of the voiceless.

    Is the UNAIDS able to mount some kind of pressure on the government of Nigeria to rescind this new payment policy?

    The UN is not a pressure group; it is not a pressure organisation. The UNAIDS would support and advocate for issues that are for the betterment of the human race. We will continue to advocate and provide evidence on why the right thing should be done at the right time in the right way. That’s what we stand for.

  • $700m spent on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria in 2014—UNAIDS

    A whooping sum of $700 million was spent in 2014 in an attempt to halt the scourge of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Bilali Camara, Country Coordinator for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said yesterday.

    Camara made the disclosure while on a courtesy visit to the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

    He said 3.4 million Nigerians are currently living with HIV/AIDS.  58 per cent of these are women and 60,000 children have been infected with the dreaded disease.  Nigeria, therefore, needs to increase its funding to fight the scourge.

    The UNAIDS Coordinator said Nigeria should tackle the issue urgently.

    “It is important because children who are our future, 60,000 of them, were infected in 2014.It is an important issue because 170,000 of our brothers and sisters who were having children died of AIDS last year,” he said, adding that the organisation assisted in screening and testing of Nigerians, including pregnant women to prevent the transmission of the virus to babies and the treatment of those infected.

    “If you look at the situation in the past few years, we really have a very good result which actually puts Nigeria among countries in the central Africa which were able to stop the spread and reverse the trend of HIV.”

    He said the contribution of the Global Fund investment to Nigeria confirmed the need for Nigeria to step up funding towards the elimination of HIV/AIDS.

    “If you look at the expenditure for 2014, we have spent actually $700 million and if you look at that amount, only 25 per cent came from domestic resources and the rest came from outside.

    “I will be honest with you to say that if you look at the premises, the trend has not changed as many resources are coming from outside and little is coming from inside. That is not the way we have to deal with this issue,”he said.

    Gbajabiamila, in his response, stressed the need to promote prevention of the disease rather than treatment in order to fully halt the dreaded disease by year 2020.

    On the needed funding, he said from the $700 million spent last year, $515 million was sourced from outside the country, adding that the low funding from Nigeria could stem from a conspiracy theory.

    He said the National Assembly will ensure provision of adequate funding and continue to pass relevant legislations when necessary.

    Gbajabiamila said: “When one looks at the problem from that point of view, then it requires full attention and all hands have to be on deck, including that of the legislature.

    “It has become obviously a human right problem and issue. We are happy to note that there is provision that by 2020, it would have been eradicated. Whatever we can do as a Parliament towards the realisation of that, we will definitely do.”

  • NACA, UNAIDS, UNICEF hold workshop on HIV sensitisation

    NACA, UNAIDS, UNICEF hold workshop on HIV sensitisation

    Over twenty medical doctors from a range of specialisations have gathered in Abuja to take part in a sensitisation workshop on the UNAIDS treatment target – the 90-90-90.

    The doctors from the Nigerian Medical Association and the Association of Resident Doctors will listen to presentations by facilitators from UNAIDS and UNICEF on the ambitious treatment target and share their views on how best to fast-track and achieve it by 2020.

    The workshop organised by UNAIDS and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) is meant to sensitise participants on the treatment target which aims at ensuring that, by the year 2020, 90 per cent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.

    It is also meant to ensure that 90 per cent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy while 90 per cent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral load suppression.

    “Unless medical practitioners are fully engaged and take ownership of the 90-90-90 target, it will be difficult to attain. They need to be in the driver’s seat for this process of testing, treating and retaining people on treatment to happen. When health care providers own the target, its success will be guaranteed in Nigeria,” said Dr Bilali Camara, UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria and UNAIDS Focal Point for Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    The 90-90-90 treatment target was launched at a high-level political session of the 20th International AIDS Conference held in July 2014 in Melbourne, Australia, when the UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé, called for a new set of treatment targets by 2020.

    This is the third workshop of its kind in Nigeria. A similar workshop involving vulnerable women and girls took place in March this year, followed by another held in the month of May for journalists and people living with HIV.

    NACA, UNAIDS and UNICEF will facilitate this workshop.

  • Partnership with UNAIDS touching lives, says Airtel’s CEO

    Partnership with UNAIDS touching lives, says Airtel’s CEO

    The  partnership betwwen the telco and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) will further open new vista of opportunities to deepen its commitment to touching the lives of Nigerians positively, especially in the area of quality healthcare services delivery, the Chief Executive Officer,  Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, has said.

    He spoke in Lagos during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between UNAIDS and Airtel to eliminate Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV in Nigeria.

    He said Airtel has a track record of supporting and empowering young people, who are the future leaders of our country.

    He said Airtel has adopted and built schools for children; provided several interventions in the area of healthcare for hundreds of kids, adding that the  Touching Lives programme has even offered the company a more elaborate platform to reach and connect with underprivileged children.

    “Indeed, Airtel is intensely interested in impacting society positively as this underscores our corporate philosophy of becoming the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians.”

    UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria and the UNAIDS Focal Point for the Economic Community for West Africa (ECOWAS), Dr. Bilali Camara, said: “Eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV and keeping their mother alive do not only improve the wellbeing of children and their mothers. They impact positively on the general maternal and child survival.”

    Director-General, National Agency for Control of Aids (NACA), Prof John Idoko, praised telco for its leading role in providing practical, relevant and continuous assistance in the fight against the dreaded HIV/AIDS.

    Idoko described Airtel as a trusted, reliable and committed partner that has stood behind NACA since 2005 when the agency first launched a call centre to assist people living with HIV/AIDS.

    Explaining why Airtel was supporting NACA, Idoko who was represented by the Director, Resource Mobilisation, NACA, Dr. Emmanuel Alhassan, said: “It was in 2005 when we first partnered with Airtel to activate hotlines (interactive telecommunications platform) with the sole intention of providing both guidance and counseling to Nigerians vis-à-vis HIV/AIDS and other related health issues.

    “Back then, we rolled out what could be termed a pilot National Call Contact Centre. And the experiment was extremely successful: the public literally went agog as feedback/responses poured in on the pilot project.

    “In 2012, Airtel also provided the network backbone for our ultra-modern call centre, which was inaugurated by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. The facility, which is fitted with toll free lines and has capacity, to process calls from about 30 callers simultaneously is offering Nigerians irrespective of their location access to accurate information and benefit from public enlightenment on HIV&AIDS and other diseases such as Tuberculosis and Malaria.”

    Idoko recalled how Airtel ‘painted the town red’ during the 2005 edition of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), saying that the telco did not just add immense value to the international conference but made it colourful and classy.

    The NACA boss noted that it wasn’t a surprise when Airtel indicated its interest to partner with UNAIDS to eliminate Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV.

    The deal will allow the telco’s subscribers to benefit from information on prevention of HIV services. This shall be disseminated through text messages

  • UNAIDS, Etisalat partner to eradicate HIV/AIDS

    The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is partnering with telecommunications firm, Etisalat Nigeria on the campaign for the control of AIDS in Nigeria.

    The partnership, the Nation learnt, will enable Etisalat subscribers to enjoy and benefit from regular text messages on how and where to access prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Nigeria.

    Vice President, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Etisalat, Ibrahim Dikko said the company was glad to partner with UNAIDS and NACA for the project recognizing that a nation can only be economically buoyant if it has a healthy population.

    Dikko said; “Thus the company is committed to building, by attacking its most deadly threats, one of which is HIV/AIDS. We are joining hands with these strategic and effective organisations, and together we will drive the promotion of life and health, for Nigerians in general, persons living with HIV, and children as yet unborn.”

    On his part, Director General, NACA, Prof. John Idoko, said the initiative “is bound to avail more avenues of stopping new HIV infections in Nigeria.”

    UNAIDS is partnering with Etisalat Nigeria to support the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), other government departments and the Civil Society to boost Nigeria’s efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV as a result of a Global Plan launched in July 2011 at the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS.

    Nigeria, which represented 30% of the burden of mother-to-child transmission of HIV globally in 2013, unveiled the National Operational Plan for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in November 2014 to jump-start the implementation of similar efforts in the country.

    Bilali Camara, Country Director for UNAIDS Nigeria, stated that ending the HIV epidemic among children in Nigeria by 2020 will result in preventing 240,000 new HIV infections among children and an additional 460,000 new HIV infections among adults. In all, we are looking at preventing 340,000 AIDS-related deaths and a net benefit of 30 billion United States dollars, with 12 million life-years gained.

  • ILO, UNAIDS target 5m workers with HIV/AIDS by 2015

    THE International Labour Organisation (ILO), supported by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has called on African governments to keep the fight against HIV/AIDS on the front burner.

    This, they noted, can be achieved by taking action to accelerate the eradication of the pandemic, especially through its new VCT@work initiative to reach five million workers with voluntary and confidential HIV counselling and testing by 2015.

    Speaking on the target, Director, ILO Programme on HIV/AIDS, Alice Ouedraogo, said VCT@work is the ILO’s contribution to achieving Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6 on combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

    It includes ensuring access to treatment for 15 million people living with HIV by 2015, as set out in the 2011 UN General Assembly Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS.

    According to Ouedraogo, though about seven million people are eligible for treatment, they are not accessing it.

    Worse still, the majority of them do not know their HIV status.

    ‘’The workplace is an ideal entry point to generate a demand for, and increased access to, testing and treatment.

    “While standing firmly by the principle that there should be no HIV screening for employment, the ILO’s VCT@WORK initiative re-energises voluntary testing and emphasises the right of workers to know their status and access treatment when needed,” she said.

    She emphasised that the ILO’s employer and worker social partners will play a key role as agents of change to normalise and demystify HIV testing in the implementation of the initiative in the country.

    She noted that the launch of the initiative took place during the ILO International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, which brought together about 5,000 delegates, representing governments, employers and workers from the ILO’s 185 member states to discuss issues, including social protection in an ageing world, sustainable development and social dialogue.

    She noted that the rapid expansion of antiretroviral therapy in recent years has allowed eight million people living with HIV to access treatment, enabling them to live longer, healthier and more productive lives and remain part of the workforce.

    Speaking on the new initiative, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, said if young men and women are economically empowered, it will reduce their vulnerability to HIV in Nigeria.

    “There is a need to tackle the underlying factors that led to risk-taking behaviour and to incorporate HIV prevention efforts into a wider approach”, he said

    Also, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bala Kagaima, said: “It is clear that the new ILO strategy will broaden actions to address HIV through national safety and health systems, labour inspection, working conditions and social security.

    “We do hope that the strategy will increase focus on women and girls, young people and workers in the informal economy, and it will target the transport, mining, commerce and tourism sectors, SMEs and cooperatives.

    “We call on the ILO to use its mobilising power to encourage five million working women and men to undertake voluntary HIV testing to meet the estimated target by 2015.”