Nigeria’s Comprehensive Response Plan for HIV/AIDS presents a unique opportunity to put her back on track towards achieving global commitments, President Goodluck Jonathan said on Tuesday.
The President made this statement during the AIDS Watch Africa Champions Breakfast Meeting in Abuja.
The breakfast was on the fifth day of the Abuja +12 Special Summit of the African Union on HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
According to the President, Nigeria’s commitment in the past decade was to halt and reverse HIV and AIDS in the country.
He said that through local and international partners, the nation had succeeded in significantly impacting the disease.
He, however, noted that the overall gaps in access to HIV and AIDS service still remained a great challenge, particularly for Nigeria, which according to a 2012 report has the world’s second highest burden.
“Of the estimated 3.4 million people living with HIV in the country, only 491,021 HIV positive persons are accessing Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
“Furthermore 1.6 million people are eligible for ART, meaning that an estimated 30 per cent of the HIV populace are in need.’’
Jonathan said that the country regarded the statistics as a wake up call for rededication.
He said rededication was the reason behind the development of the President’s Comprehensive Response Plan (PCRP) for HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, which was unveiled on Monday.
The PCRP is the brainchild of the minister of health, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and key stakeholders.
Developed under presidential directive, the aim of PCRP is to address HIV service delivery challenges.
“The goal of PCRP is to accelerate the implementation of key interventions to bridge existing service gaps, address key financial, health systems and coordination challenges and promote greater responsibility at federal and state levels.”
He said that this would avail 80 million men and women aged 15 and above the knowledge of their HIV status.
He added that through it, 600,000 additional eligible adults and children would be enrolled into ART and 244,000 HIV positive mothers would also access ART.
Jonathan said that combination prevention services would target 500,000 most-at risk population and four million young persons.
“Finally, the plan would see to the activation of 2,000 new Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and 2,000 ART service delivery points across the country.
He noted that the plan paid close attention to the Nigeria’s past successes and failures in the fight against HIV and AIDS and built from there.
“Our conviction is that the response to the HIV and AIDS challenge must be designed to enhance human dignity and to protect the citizens’ inalienable rights under the rule of law.
“This is where our commitment lies.’’
The President said that 12 years after the original summit, the African Union had achieved much and this was the time to consolidate the good work.
He called on all development partners and stakeholders to support and work toward an HIV and AIDS-free Nigeria.
