Senator Oluremi Tinubu, expressed deep concern over the prevalent and alarming rate of HIV infections in Nigeria, particularly among children, revealing that Children contribute to 23% of new HIV infections.
Remi Tinubu made disclosed this findings during the visitation of the wives of governors and the Federal Capital Territory representative at the Presidential Villa.
Citing data from the 2023 Spectrum by the Ministry of Health and the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey, Senator Tinubu disclosed that approximately 1.98 million individuals are living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
She articulated, “It has become imperative for us to have this forum so that I can update you on issues, especially as they affect our nation.
“Some of the things I discovered were that HIV/AIDS is still very prevalent in Nigeria. Estimates from the 2023 Spectrum by the Ministry of Health, the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey revealed that about 1.98 million persons are living with HIV/AIDS in the country.
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“Adults aged 15 years and above make up about 1.8 million of People Living with HIV, of which 1.1million are adult women; equally, one in seven babies born in the world is a Nigerian Child.
“Underscoring the significance of the nation’s role in the global fight against AIDS, children contribute 23 per cent of new HIV infections in Nigeria, almost four times more than the eight per cent contribution of key populations according to Mode of Transmission Study. These statistics are alarming, embarrassing and unacceptable.”
She called for concerted efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in the country, saying she was working with the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, on how to increase advocacy on the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
She stated, “I got the agreement of the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, on a partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative to increase advocacy on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, also working with wives of governors to ensure that Nigeria achieves an end to HIV/AIDS by year 2030.
“We must come together with a unifying message to fight this hydra-headed monster and save the future of our nation. We did it during the Ebola Virus and Covid-19 pandemic.
“As the theme for the 2023 World AIDS Day indicates: ‘Let Communities Lead’, we will be taking the advocacy to our traditional rulers, religious leaders of various faiths, community leaders, educational institutions and every nook and cranny of the nation.”
Before going into a closed-door meeting with the governors’ wives, she said it was imperative for governors, especially those in opposition parties, to work with the Tinubu’s agenda to tackle issues affecting the citizenry. She lauded the first ladies for their personal projects and initiatives in their various states to assist the vulnerable in the society.
She said part of the reasons she called for the meeting was to update the forum and share with them her experiences from her trips to other nations as “such will help me to position myself appropriately for the task ahead”.
Additionally, she announced Tinubu’s success in securing grants from the Global Fund for the provision of HIV testing kits, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive testing to curb the spread of the virus.