Nigeria should be applauded for its impressive achievement in the control and eradication of HIV/AIDS by 2030. According to the National Coordinator, National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme (NASCP) of the Federal Ministry of Health, Adebobola Bashorun, Nigeria has achieved 94-90-96 of the global 95-95-95 UNAIDS target for HIV. Some years back, UNAIDS had set the 95-95-95 goal as part of the strategies to achieve epidemic control of HIV/AIDS by 2030.
The target, Adebobola explained, is to ensure that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their HIV status, 95 per cent of people who know that they are living with HIV are put on lifesaving anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) and 95 per cent of people who are on treatment are being virally suppressed. With a score of 94-90-96, Nigeria is very close to achieving the UNAIDS target of control and ending HIV/AIDS by 2023.
Nigeria has achieved the target of getting 94 per cent of the people to know their HIV status, putting 90 per cent of people who know they are living with HIV on lifesaving drug, and 95 per cent of them have gained viral suppression. The achievement is laudable. However, there should be no room for complacency until the goal is finally achieved.
With 1.3 per cent prevalent rate as at 2018 NAIIS Report, over 16 million people were on treatment in the country. This included the 50,000 children who might have been infected through Mother-to-Child-Transmission of HIV.
The report of Nigeria’s remarkable achievement in HIV/AIDS control target came on the heels of the commemoration of this year’s World AIDS Day with the apt theme, “Let Communities Lead.” With the theme, UNAIDS believes that “the world can end AIDS, with communities leading the way. Organisations of communities living with, at risk of, or affected by HIV are in the frontline of progress in the HIV response.”
According to Global HIV/AIDS factsheet, 39 million (33.1 million-45.7 million people globally are living with HIV in 2022. About 1.3 million (I million-1.7 million) people became newly infected with HIV in 2022. Sadly, 630, 000 (480,000-880,000) people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2022.
Not less than 29.8 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2022. In all, 85.6 million (64.8 million-113.0 million) people have become infected with HIV and 40.4 million (32.9 million-51.3 million) people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic. While the news of almost achieving the UNAIDS target for control and eradicating HIV/AIDS is cheering, government and other stakeholders should intensify efforts to achieve the goal by 2030. No doubt, we are going to win the war against HIV/AIDS. However, the government should embark on more awareness creation about the disease, causes and prevention measures. The reality of the disease is not in doubt. Without adequate treatment, the disease can kill. But, the good news is that it is not a death sentence. Those who know their HIV status earlier and embrace treatment where necessary can lead a health life. Therefore, detection is key to HIV control and eradication. We enjoin all Nigerians to endevour to know their HIV status. All pregnant women should know their HIV status too. We believe that this is the first step towards the eradication of the disease. Government must ensure that those who need the antiretroviral drugs are on treatment as well as ensuring that those on treatment have their viral load suppressed. In other words, access to treatment must be expanded to ensure that all who need treatment are accommodated. It will be difficult to eradicate the disease if all the people who need the ART are not enlisted for treatment. At the same time, the prevention of Mother-Child-Transmission of HIV needs to be given urgent attention. People living with HIV/AIDS should not be discriminated against or stigmatized on account of their status. All tiers of government must work in concert to ensure that Nigeria achieves the goal of eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030. Let them ensure that the funds for eradication of HIV/AIDS are enhanced and timely released. Also, the government should increase HIV testing centres in the 774 local government areas to ensure that all Nigerians know their HIV status.