By
National Coordinator, National AIDS/STI Control
Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Sunday Aboje has said that Nigeria
was still home to the highest number of children living with HIV/AIDS in the
world.
Dr Aboje spoke at the opening of a three-day
Communication Strategic review workshop by Journalists Alliance for Prevention
of Mother to Child transmission of HIV (JAPIN) in Calabar, Cross Rivers State
on Tuesday.
Dr Aboje stated that currently 380,000 children
are HIV positive in the country, adding that Nigeria is committed to the goal
of eliminating new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers
alive by 2020.
The NASCAP coordinator declared: “Nigeria has the
second highest global burden of HIV/AIDS and also contributes the largest
proportion of new vertically acquired HIV infections among children.
“The country has come a long way in its effort to
control the HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly in PMTCT.
Beginning with the pioneer 11 PMTCT-provider
tertiary health facilities in 2002, the country now has 7,265 health facilities
providing PMTCT services at all levels of the health care system.”
Dr Aboje, however, stated that Nigeria’s target on
eliminating new HIV cases in children among other things for 2018 was to ensure
50 per cent of HIV exposed children have access to HIV prophylaxis treatment
and early infant diagnosis services.
He, however, declared that funding, inadequate
political commitment and funding at state and LGA levels, weak health
infrastructure as well as inadequate engagement of the private health sector as
some challenges against eliminating new HIV cases in children.
