The Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has reaffirmed his commitment to intensifying efforts to eliminate HIV as a public health threat in the State.
The governor said the State’s dedication through past and ongoing initiatives, including support for 16,952 community members across four high-volume sites managed by 25 staff members and 184 volunteers, among other impactful programs, underscored the government’s commitment to combating the disease.
Governor Zulum pledged his commitment while hosting the Director General (DG) of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Temitope Ilori, in his office following the 65th National Health Council meeting, during which the DG commended the governor’s proactive leadership and transformative impact on the State’s citizens.
The DG, while highlighting the State’s remarkable strides in addressing critical issues, including its rapid response to recent flooding and improvements in security, noted, “You have restored hope to Nigerians that academicians can truly make a difference”.
She, however, expressed concern over the persistent threat posed by HIV/AIDS, stressing the need for intensified efforts to curb its prevalence.
According to her, UNAIDS 2022 reports show that approximately 170,000 children aged 0-14 are living with HIV, with 26,000 new infections and 17,000 AIDS-related deaths occurring each year, while noting that despite progress, Nigeria’s PMTCT and paediatric HIV coverage remains below 35%—well below the 95% target.
She noted that while significant progress had been made, stressing, “the HIV war is not yet over,” particularly in light of challenges exacerbated by insurgency and substance abuse, which have disrupted the trajectory of HIV interventions in the State.
Nonetheless, she intimated the governor of some steps initiated at the national level to tackle the situation, saying, “To address this, the Global Alliance Action Plan to End AIDS in Children was developed in 2021, yet coverage gaps persist.
“A national acceleration committee was recently established by the Minister of State for Health, and similar Committees are being set up at the State level to improve engagement and monitoring”.
She noted that Borno State, through the Borno State Agency for the Control of AIDS and Malaria (BOSACAM), has demonstrated a commitment to combating HIV/AIDS.
However, she stressed that HIV prevalence in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps remains a major concern, with areas like Ngala Camp reporting rates as high as 1.98%, exceeding both the state average of 1.3% and the national average.
Additionally, she said, inadequate access to healthcare in these camps poses significant risks, despite a testing uptake rate of 56.31%, while identifying key challenges hindering the State’s HIV response, starting with the need to expand Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services.
She emphasized the importance of strengthening primary healthcare systems to achieve this goal, stressing that diminishing support from international donors was also flagged as a critical issue, with reduced funding threatening program sustainability.
Facilities transitioned to State responsibility are increasingly facing resource gaps, especially in securing essential commodities such as antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), diagnostics, and laboratory reagents, which require co-financing from the state government, she added.
In light of these challenges, the DG tabled a call to action for Borno State to take greater ownership of its HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services.
She urged the State government to fulfill its strategic plans and provide essential operational resources, including vehicles for field activities and consistent quarterly funding for monitoring and evaluation.
Additionally, she recommended regular stakeholder review meetings to assess progress and refine intervention strategies.
Highlighting the benefits of investing in HIV/AIDS interventions, the NACA chief underscored the potential for improved economic outcomes, including increased life expectancy, GDP growth, and enhanced food security.
She also noted the political dividends of such investments, citing strengthened public trust in governance as a key outcome.
Furthermore, she identified reduced healthcare costs as a long-term benefit, with lower expenditures on health resulting from effective HIV management.
The DG also presented several policy recommendations to support the State’s HIV/AIDS response, which include approving free antenatal services, abolishing PMTCT user fees, and fully supporting the AIDS-Free Generation campaign to ensure that no child in Borno State is born HIV-positive.
She also called for a gradual implementation of a 0.5–1% allocation from State and Local government budgets to catalyze the sustainability of HIV/AIDS interventions.
Ilori also urged the government to prioritise the acceleration of the State and community health insurance schemes that integrate comprehensive HIV/AIDS care across all sectors
In response, the Governor reaffirmed the State government’s commitment to combating HIV, highlighting the renovation of the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA) office and the revitalization of the HIV program upon assuming office.
He pledged full government support for the PMTCT program and assured the DG that her requests would be granted, directing SACA to outline the necessary actions for implementation.
