Buhari Announces HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey Results

Buhari Announces HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey Results
President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the results of 2018 Nigerian HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) Results. The President made the announcement today 14th March, 2019 in Abuja.

Nigerians HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey was conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health, National Agency for Control of AIDS and other Development Partners in 2018 to ascertain the level of HIV/AIDs as well as Hepatitis B and C in Nigeria with a view to re-strategizing towards the eradication of the deadly disease.

While speaking during the event, President Buhari, said that NAIIS would provide high- quality data on HIV prevalence, incidence and other HIV related health indices.He said that Federal Government remained committed in ensuring that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria was reduced to the barest minimum.

In his words ‘For the first time, the end of AIDS as a Public health threat by 2030 is truly in sight for our country, I urge all of us not to relent but to increase the momentum. Let us work collectively and push to the last mile’

The President also commended all the development partners, the Media and all Nigerians, for their significant contributions towards the successful outcome of the survey.

In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said that HIV/ AIDs remained a persistent threat to the health of Nigerians and compromised past developmental gains especially in the area of Maternal and under five mortalities.

The Minister said the goal of the survey was to determine the National and State prevalence of HIV in Nigeria adding that the result of the survey would be used to improve health care planning and coordination of HIV/AIDS control activities in the country.

“I am happy to inform Mr. President and fellow Nigerians that going forward, the result of this survey will guide and inform government policies, strategies and programme on HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B and C in her bid to achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target”

He further informed that available evidence showed that the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in Nigeria had contracted, however, the total number affected by the disease was still high, due to the high Nigerian population.

The Minister expressed optimism that with several health interventions in place, the prevalence would be reduced drastically. “We are confidence that with excellent initiatives like the Saving One Million Lives Project (SMOL) and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, we would be able to cushion the effect of the disease through the provision of free Antenatal Care (ANC) and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMCT)”

Earlier, the Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Dr. Sani Aliyu said that it was important for all people living with HIV to get into treatment and achieve viral suppression.

‘To halt the epidemic we need to act now. As a government, working with our partners, we have what it takes to support persons who are HIV positive to provide treatment, protect their families and to help people leave long and healthy lives’

Also speaking, the Executive Director, UNAIDS, Micheal Sidibe, commended Nigerian government and all its partners for conducting the Survey that provided a better understanding of the country’s AIDS epidemic. According to him ‘It is a fantastic news that there are fewer people living with HIV in Nigeria than previously thought, we must not let down our guard’

He advised that the results of the Survey should be used for better delivery of HIV prevention, treatment and care service to people in greatest needs, and ensure that Nigeria got on tract to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

Boade Akinola,

Director, Media and Public Relations