FG takes action to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV

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The federal government is committed to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the country.

Deputy Director and Head of Treatment, Care and Support, National AIDS/STI Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Clement Adesigbin, made this known during the 2nd Round of Tables scientific rounds organized by the Center for Integrated Health Programs in Abuja.

The theme of the program was "Leaving No One Behind: Innovative Program Recalibration, Integration and the Role of Big Data in Reaching the Subpopulation in Controlling the HIV Epidemic".

According to Adesigbin, Nigeria has achieved good results in the response to HIV.

"We are so happy that at this time you will see many customers coming with AIDS, but these days that is not the case anymore, so we have done so well.

"Look at the HIV prevalence in Nigeria which is now 1.3%, so it's so hard to find these cases out of 200 million people, and that's why you need a lot of innovation.< /p>

"For the pediatrics we're talking about, that's one of our priorities. We don't fare so well and that's the common thing when you look at things globally, pediatrics is usually an issue.

“Some countries have done so well in terms of eliminating mother-to-child transmission and Rwanda is an example. Nigeria is not doing so well. efforts to ensure that this does not happen, that no children are infected again, and unless you close this gap, you will continue to have pediatric cases.

"So if we can really close the leaky gap, in terms of PMTCT, then we don't have much to do with pediatric cases," Adesigbin said.

Speaking also, the Chief Executive of the Center for Integrated Health Programs, Dr. Bolanle Oyelodun, said the organization is working with the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to address HIV challenges in the country. .

Oyelodun said, "We implement programs with the support of the US government, through PEPFAR, we work with private organizations and foundations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the MTN Foundation, with a funding from the World Health Organization, the Canadian government and the Gates Challenge Exploration.

"We partner with the federal and state governments, including health departments, states, and national AIDS service agencies.

"What we mainly do is support and guarantee this treatment, because prevention is carried out mainly through public health establishments and also through private health establishments."

For her part, the WHO Representative, Dr Oluwafunke Ilesanmi, Technical Officer, HIV/Viral Hepatitis, World Health Organization, urged stakeholders to support the government in the fight against HIV.< /p>

“We would like to identify with the theme keywords, innovation, integration, data and ensuring that no one is left behind. This is the time to reflect on these things and we hope it does not stop there , but that our discussion here is really going to influence policy and also ensure that implementation actually happens the way we think it should go.

“We continue to ask all stakeholders to continue to support the government of Nigeria and it is not just for one individual, it is not just for the government but for all stakeholders including people living with HIV,” said Ilesanmi.