FG to strengthen fight against HIV/AIDS

July 5, 2007

Vice-President Jonathan Goodluck and the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar'adua have expressed strong desire to give maximum support to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

They made their promises during separate advocacy visits paid on them recently by the leadership of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS.

 
According to the Vice-President, the government of President Shehu Musa YarAdua is committed to fighting HIV/AIDS which it regards as a priority project as he had promised during his inaugural address to the nation.

Jonathan announced to the visiting NACA team that that he plans to host a meeting of stakeholders which would bring together partner organizations and corporate employers of labour.

While expressing his worries on the lack of enough testing facilities, he said that he would want to see the states and local governments do more on HIV/AIDS because according to him "ìthey are closer to the grassroots, and understand the terrain better than the centre". He therefore promised to engage state governors on their roles in the war against HIV/AIDS.

The VP lamented that the private sector as big employers of labour in Nigeria is not doing enough to ensure their welfare, especially with regards,to HIV/AIDS. ìThey have forgotten that an informed and healthy workforce will be worthy assets to their businessî remarked the Vice-president

He later requested that the Director-General of NACA, Prof Babatunde Osotimehin should give him a clear report of the present prevalence situation as well as the status of the war on HIV/AIDS.

Earlier, Prof Osotimehin had congratulated the VP on his victory on a joint ticket with President Shehu Musa YarAdua. He noted that the last government had done commendably,well for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and in the African sub-region. He also expressed confidence that since this is a government of continuity from the last regime, there is hope that the fight against HIV/AIDS will be taken to a higher level.

In another development, the First Lady, Hajiya Turai YaríAdua announced her plan to host religious leaders generally very soon to raise some pressing national issues including HIV/AIDS with them. ëWe are looking forward to organizing some forum to mobilize religious leaders to address some pressing social issues. We shall ensure that is part of this proposed meeting so that we can further expand information dissemination channels for messages about HIV and AIDSí said the first lady.

Hajia YaríAdua added that she was particularly anxious to focus on issues concerning rural women and the children explaining that ëthey constitute the majority of the indigent people who deserve the support of the all at all timesí

The first lady strongly condemned the callous men who, though realized they had been infected with HIV, still go ahead to spread the virus to their spouses and even other women.

Speaking earlier, Prof. Osotimehin narrated the course of the multi-sectoral response to HIV/AIDS as led by NACA since 2001. ëSo far, this has yielded impressive dividends which according to him include increased Awareness Nationwide, perceptible decline in prevalence, reduced stigma and discrimination, improved political commitment at the state level as well as iincreased personal risk perception coupled with scale up of care and support.

To further enhance the progress made so far, the NACA D-G enjoined the first lady to support the national response efforts on the Coalition of Women Against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, COWHAN.

According to Prof. Osotimehin, the importance of the coalition derives essentially from the fact that ëwomen and girls are three times more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infectioní. He continued: ëThe need for an umbrella body for all HIV/AIDS related women advocacy groups cannot be overemphasised. We need it for the protection of womenís rightsí

COWHAN according to Prof. Osotimehin will avail Nigerian women with both national and continental leadership for womenís fight against AIDS adding it will champion advocacy with ECOWAS and African Union.

The NACA Director-General was accompanied by the Country Representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, Dr. Ayalew Abai, Country,Coordinator, UNAIDS, Dr. Warren Namarari, Country Rep, UNIFEM, Dr. Florence Bodega, Director, Govt. Affairs NACA, Hajia Maimuna Mohammed, Deputy Director, Admininistration NACA, Mrs. Lami Smith and Communications Coordinator, NACA, Niyi Ojuolape