The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) on Wednesday called on world leaders and stakeholders to redouble efforts in ending HIV and AIDS by 2030.
Mr Steve Aborisade, the Advocacy and Marketing Manager in a statement said the fight against HIV and AIDS was not over.
The plea comes ahead of the 2023 World AIDS Day, observed annually on Dec. 1, emphasising the ongoing need for awareness about the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.
With the theme “Let Communities Lead” for 2023, AHF aims to highlight the pivotal role communities play in shaping the HIV response and global health.
Aborisade stressed the importance of raising awareness, combating stigma, and promoting access to test and treatment services for people living with HIV.
Dr Echey Ijezie, AHF’s Country Programme Director, underscored the organisation’s active support for the Federal Government’s goal to end AIDS by 2030.
He said AHF focuses on targeted interventions across various states in partnership with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH).
Ijezie highlighted the priority placed on projects advancing gender equality and building leadership potential at the grassroots, empowering communities to lead.
The organisation is implementing Community Advocacy Clubs (CAC) in three Nigerian states, with plans for expansion, and investing in community education through radio to prevent new infections and ensure the well-being of rural dwellers.
The AHF’s World AIDS Day event in Nigeria will feature community testing campaigns and the distribution of 75,000 condoms across seven program states, namely: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The initiative aims to honor those who have lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses, support ongoing efforts, and unite individuals in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria
