…As Reps pledge to revisit anti-dicrimination act, end patients’ stigmatization
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, has reiterated the commitment of African First Ladies to fight against HIV/AIDS on the continent.
Media Aide to the First Lady, Busola Kukoyi, disclosed that the First Lady stated this at the High Level Pre-Conference Meeting of the 22nd International Conference on AIDS and STI in Africa (ICASA) organized by the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development, (OAFLAD).
This is even as the House of Representatives has indicated commitment to revisit the HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act (2014) that makes it illegal to discriminate against people based on their HIV status.
The 22nd ICASA Conference has as its theme “AIDS is not over; Address inequalities, accelerate inclusion and innovation.”
Mrs Tinubu noted that notwithstanding the progress made against the scourge, there was much more to be done.
She also pointed out that despite the challenges militating against total success in the fight, there is still a lot of hope.
The Nigerian First Lady explained that the sheer population of the country at over 200 million is a major challenge in the fight against the scourge.
She stressed that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Bola Tinubu administration has rekindled hope in all spheres of life in the nation, inclusive of the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“Although HIV/AIDS receives a lot of attention, Nigeria plans to achieve triple elimination of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis. I am going back to Nigeria and I will meet with the First Ladies of the various states. We are getting to work. We are now more committed than ever. HIV/AIDS should have been long gone.”
Meanwhile, Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria (ATM) Control, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, renewed the commitment of the House of Representatives to revisit the HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act (2014) in a statement signed by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Advocacy and Marketing manager, Steve Aborisade and made available to our correspondent in Makurdi.
Speaking during an awareness walk organized by AHF at Berger roundabout, Abuja, on Friday, Ogah said the Act prohibits any employer, individual or organization from asking anyone to produce a HIV test result as a precondition for employment or access to services.
Ogah who commended the efforts that have gone into the fight against AIDS, TB and Malaria, by the Nigerian government and partners and, said members ATM committee are committed to implement a progressive legislative agenda that can provide the needed operational environment towards achieving the SDG 3 goal to end the AIDS and tuberculosis epidemic by 2030.
He also lamented the challenges facing the global HIV/AIDS response, including insufficient funding, high rates of 1.3 million new HIV transmissions annually, and an estimated 630,000 deaths occurring each year and called for a concerted effort to halt the trend.
“On behalf of my colleagues, let me assure Nigerians, especially the community of people living with HIV/AIDS that we are fully with them and will join them to fight the harmful stigma and discrimination that hinder people living with HIV from fully realizing their potential.
“We will do everything within our powers to revisit the HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act 2014 that makes it illegal to discriminate against people based on their HIV status, which prohibits any employer, individual or organization from requiring a person to take an HIV test as a precondition for employment or access to services becomes fully operational. This is the least we can do for this community, and we are fully committed to seeing this through.”