National Agency for the Control of AIDS on Tuesday declared that 3.4 million Nigerians were living with HIV/AIDS.
The agency’s Director-General, Prof.
John Idoko, stated this at a Senate public hearing on a bill to prohibit
discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS.
With the figure, he said Nigeria had the second largest HIV burden globally.
Idoko noted that while the national prevalence stabilised at about four per cent, 13 states still carried higher burden.
Noting that the country was behind
target in several important indicators, the NACA boss explained that one
of every three people in need was currently receiving treatment.
Idoko, who said only 18 per cent of HIV
positive women received prophylaxis against mother-child transmission,
noted that more than 40 per cent of HIV positive persons did not know
their status.
However, the Senate President, David
Mark, who declared the hearing open, called for an end to stigmatisation
and discrimination against persons living with HIV.
Mark, represented by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, said the citizens should be educated more about HIV.
He lamented that many HIV positive
people were afraid to go for tests or access necessary treatment because
of negative societal behaviour.
He said, “It is important for all to be
educated to know that HIV is just like any other disease. Once
identified, all a sufferer needs to do is to access treatment and
maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“Infected people are hiding under common
diseases like diabetes because of discrimination. They will not tell
you that they are HIV positive for fear of being discriminated against
in their workplaces.
“That somebody is infected does not mean
he is not good or morally upright person or that he should be denied
employment or barred from his social networks.
“HIV is a disease that can be contracted both intentionally and accidentally.”
The Chairman, Senate Committee on
Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, noted that the HIV pandemic posed a big
challenge to health and development across the world.
He said, “In the countries that are
worst affected, including Nigeria, the impact of HIV/AIDS have eroded
decades of developmental goals and gains, stultifying economies and
destabilising societies.
“There is no doubt that HIV is expected
to continue to be a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in many
countries and population, including Nigeria.
“We must begin to be proactive in the
implementation of action plans that are workable and friendly, and
advocacy must be carried out at all levels of the society.
“HIV poses a serious obstacle to the
attainment of decent work and sustainable development and its effects
are concentrated among the most productive age group.
”HIV problem has been made worse by the
violation of their fundamental rights at the work place, schools,
communities and the larger society on the basis of real or perceived
status, particularly, through discrimination directed at persons living
with HIV and AIDS.”
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