The National Agency for the Control of AIDS, alongside the World Health Organisation and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS have commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s new commitment to HIV treatment.
The Buhari-led Federal Government has promised to provide antiretrovials for 50,000 additional people living with HIV each year, a press release jointly signed by Head of Communications, NACA, Toyin Aderibigbe; and Communications/Global Outreach Officer, UNAIDS Nigeria, Charles-Martin Jjuuko, has disclosed.
Quoting the Director-General of NACA, Dr. Sani Aliyu, the statement reads in part: “We are encouraged by the enthusiasm that the Federal Government is showing towards putting more of its own financial resources to the HIV response.
“This is one sure way of helping Nigeria to end AIDS by 2030.”
It adds that the UNAIDS is thrilled by the new momentum and firm commitments that the Federal Government is bringing to its HIV response.
“We are eager to support the process of putting more people living with HIV in Nigeria on treatment,” said the UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Erasmus Morah.
Nigeria’s commitment was announced in a speech by President Muhammadu Buhari at the end of a side event convened by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, in collaboration with UNAIDS, during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The side event was meant to accelerate action and get countries to end AIDS by 2030.
Aliyu spoke on behalf of President Buhari before the King of Swaziland, the presidents of Malawi, Seychelles, Uganda and Zambia, the Vice President of Botswana, representatives of the United States and China, the UNAIDS Executive Director, as well as representatives of people living with HIV.
