First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has called upon the wives of state governors to support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aiming for widespread good governance.
During a gathering with the wives of governors from across the nation and the FCT representative at the Presidential Villa, she emphasized the importance of state leaders, including those from opposition parties, collaborating with the presidential agenda to address citizens’ concerns.
Commending the wives of governors for their projects and initiatives aimed at aiding the vulnerable in society, the First Lady acknowledged their efforts in making a positive impact within their respective states.
She said part of the reasons she called for the meeting was to update the forum and share her experiences from her trips to other nations with them, as “such will help me to position myself appropriately for the task ahead.”
The first lady further said that the administration of President Tinubu had set machinery in motion to ensure that a lasting legacy was left behind for generations and those yet unborn.
“I am delighted to welcome you all to this meeting, 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.
“Adults aged 15 years and above makeup about 1.8 million People Living with HIV (PLWHIV), of which 1.1 million 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 percent of new HIV infections in Nigeria, almost four times more than the eight percent contribution of key populations according to Mode of Transmission Study.’
“These statistics are alarming, embarrassing, and unacceptable.’’
According to the first lady, Tinubu had secured financial grants from the Global Fund for the provision of HIV testing kits for adults and dual testing kits for HIV and Syphilis for pregnant women across the country.
She added, “I got the agreement of the Minister for Health, 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 the 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 the nooks and crannies of the nation.’’
(NAN)
