Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, CiSHAN, has tasked President Bola Tinubu on domestic resource mobilization to bridge funding gaps for HIV/Aids and mitigate the recent United States government’s reviewing its foreign aid on HIV treatment in Nigeria and 54 other Counties.
The call followed President Donald Trump recent review of its foreign aid, the HIV response, thereby creating an uncertain future in the management of the pandemic, especially underdeveloped nations.
Dr. Bright Oniovokukor,
South-South Zonal Coordinator on behalf of
Chairman Governing Council, Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria in a statement titled, “Reversing the tide: Nigeria’s HIV response at crossroads”.
It listed benefits of adequate funding and highlighted Nigeria’s significant achievements driven largely by donor funding with the introduction of Antiretroviral Therapy, ART.
The group revealed that the intervention has halted the progression of HIV to AIDS, and the “Undetectable = Untransmittable” (U=U) campaign has raised awareness about the importance of viral suppression.
CiSHAN, tasked both Nigerian government and sub-nationals, which hitherto lacked commitment to mobilize domestic resource mobilization and raised concerns about the sustainability of these efforts to mitigate the impact of US decision.
The group also said Nigeria need to look inward for a more sustainable approach, one that prioritizes domestic resource mobilization and addresses the complex social, economic, and cultural factors driving the epidemic.
It further listed the challenges associated with HIV/Aids menace such as high prevalence of drug use among youths, lack of awareness of the disease, and poverty, which is amongst the drivers of risky behaviour while calling on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the HIV response to mobilize urgent action in rolling back the disease.
“Many females living with HIV who adhered to their treatment regimens have given birth to HIV-negative babies, a remarkable achievement in the fight against HIV.
“However, despite these gains, the government’s lack of commitment to domestic resource mobilization has raised concerns about the sustainability of these efforts. With the US government’s recent review of its foreign aid, the HIV response in Nigeria is facing a critical juncture.
“The recent US waiver for HIV treatment for millions of persons living with HIV is a welcome development. However, it is imperative to recognize that the HIV response extends far beyond treatment and access to ARV”, according to CiSHAN.
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