Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, Temitope Ilori, has inaugurated two committees as part of efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission and eliminate HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
The inauguration of the committees took place in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, South-West Nigeria during a medical outreach organised by agency.
The response follows reports that the epidemic accounts for roughly 51,000 AIDS-related deaths yearly, with children, aged 0-14 tragically making up 26,000 of these cases.
The committees will therefore focus on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the acceleration of pediatric antiretroviral therapy.
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An estimated two million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. In addition, 74,000 new infections occur annually, translating to about 1,400 new cases each week.
The medical outreach was aimed at increasing public awareness on HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases with the NACA Director-General highlighting the critical importance of ensuring that no child is born with HIV.
She stressed the agency’s commitment to intensifying efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission and improving strategies to tackle the country’s HIV/AIDS challenges.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
