National Council on AIDS: Bold steps needed to prevent HIV in Nigeria – DG, NACA

Nigeria must take bold steps to ensure that HIV prevention, treatment, and support remain accessible and resilient, especially as the donor landscapes evolve and apathy deepens.

To achieve this, Nigeria must leverage its specially unified platform designed for the technical review of sustainable strategies for HIV prevention, care, and control in Nigeria, especially amid shifting global aid policies, says the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori.

Ahead of the 7th National Council on AIDS, NCA, meeting, scheduked to hold in Lagos, with the theme, “Advancing National HIV Sustainability Agenda in the Changing Global Policy on Aid,” the Dr Ilori said, the Council offers unified approach to chart a future for HIV, AIDS control.

Emphasising the significance of this year’s session, Ilori noted that the high-level statutory meeting brings together stakeholders from government, civil society, development partners, and communities to deliberate on sustainable strategies for HIV prevention, care, and control in Nigeria.

He said, ‘‘the NCA meeting serves as a coordination hub for partners from across sectors, including TB, malaria, reproductive health, civil society, religious organisations, donors, and international development partners, to align efforts under a unified sustainability agenda.’’

‘‘The 7th meeting focuses on reviewing progress, consolidating national HIV sustainability efforts, and setting technical direction for the years ahead, including advancing the National HIV Sustainability Agenda in a Changing Global Aid Landscape, Multi-Sectoral Approaches to Sustainability of HIV and Related Developmental Diseases, Strengthening Sub-National Structures for Sustainability and Health Systems Effectiveness.’’

The AIDS Agency also tasked stakeholders to submit policy and implementation memos for review, which will potentially be adopted to shape Nigeria’s HIV response.

DAILY POST reports that the National Council on AIDS was established under the NACA Act of 2006, as the apex national coordinating body to guide Nigeria’s multi-sectoral HIV/AIDS response.

National Council on AIDS: Bold steps needed to prevent HIV in Nigeria – DG, NACA