The
United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS has applauded Nigeria’s efforts to
reduce the number of HIV/AIDS newborn babies.
This
statement was made by the UNAIDS Country Director, Mr. Bilali Camara, at a
press conference while launching its ‘Protecting the Goal’ campaign in Nigeria.
The programme is designed to use sports to promote HIV awareness.
“After the launch of the presidential comprehensive response plan on HIV and AIDS, Nigeria has together taken the responsibility and ownership of its epidemic.
“The
year 2013 has been an unprecedented success story in the fight against HIV, for
instance, the country was able to put 148 new people on HIV treatment for one
year.
“Again,
Nigeria has been able to test 1.6 million pregnant women for HIV, create more
than 500 Prevention from Mother to Child Treatment sites.
Camara
said, ‘Protect the Goal’ campaign would be used to support the UNAIDS vision of
zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.
The
Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Professor John Idoko,
in his speech, said HIV was related to all the eight Millennium Development
Goals. The agency would use the campaign to target young people, adding that
“70 per cent of Nigerians are below the age of 30.’’
He added that 40 per cent of the youth did not know their HIV status and
lacked comprehensive HIV education.
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