The Federal Government has unveiled plans to begin local production of HIV commodities, including test kits and antiretroviral drugs, by late 2025.
Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Temitope Ilori, announced this on Friday in Ilorin during the launch of the Kwara Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and Paediatrics ART Acceleration Committee.
Ilori highlighted that this initiative aligns with the government’s broader goal of eradicating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Other key strategies include expanding health insurance coverage, securing resources for states, strengthening advocacy efforts, and advancing HIV vaccine research.
She emphasized that forming the committee is crucial to achieving an AIDS-free generation and ensuring a sustainable HIV response.
“UNAIDS 2023 reports indicate that approximately 140,000 children aged 0-14 are living with HIV, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurring annually. Despite progress, PMTCT and paediatric HIV coverage remains below 33 per cent far from the 95 per cent target,” she said.
“To address this, the Global Alliance Action Plan to End AIDS in Children was developed in 2021 with full financial support, yet coverage remains suboptimal,” she said.
She also highlighted that although Kwara’s HIV prevalence rate of 0.8 per cent is below the national average of 1.4 per cent, significant disparities remain.
She said women are disproportionately affected, with a prevalence of 1.3 per cent compared to 0.4 per cent in men.
She added that some local governments still require targeted interventions to reduce prevalence further.
“Achieving an AIDS-free generation is within reach and no child should be born HIV-positive in Kwara State,” she said.
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