At least 40 million people worldwide are said to be living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Country Programme Director, Dr. Echey Ijezie, has said.
Dr. Echey Ijezie, also said of the said population, women and girls represents over half of those affected.
The AHF Country Programme Director disclosed this to New Telegraph in a statement to mark this year’s World AIDS Day celebration.
He stated that the Foundation has scheduled to hold a commemorative event at Keffi, Nasarawa state on December 1 to emphasize that the work to end HIV/AIDS is not over, which is evident by the 1.3 million new infections occurring globally each year.
He said the commemoration will promote awareness, prevention, testing, and care while showing solidarity with those impacted by HIV/AIDS in the community and beyond.
Ijezie noted that despite decades of progress in the fight against HIV, “around 40 million people worldwide are living with the virus, with women and girls representing more than half of those affected, stressing that stigma and discrimination continue to prevent many individuals from accessing essential care, while key populations face significant barriers to treatment.
He maintained that this year’s event will highlight ongoing challenges and reinforce the importance of keeping HIV/AIDS at the forefront of national and global public health efforts.
Dr. Ijezie announced that the
event will be kick-started with a media breakfast meeting in Abuja on Friday as an avenue to engage the media about their unique role in the effort to defeat AIDS in Nigeria.
“This engagement will see the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), including the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWHAN) and the Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ASHWAN) in attendance”.
Ijezie explained further that on Monday, December 1, AHF Nigeria in collaboration with her partners will be organizing a road walk from the city center in Keffi, to terminate at the Nasarawa State University, where a health awareness talks for students and the public shall take place. Students from the Keffi State University, including the Red Cross Club, CSOs and CBOs shall partake in the walk, with traditional dancers and skaters leading the parade.
He said free condoms and fliers providing condom education shall be shared to members of the public as the procession move along.
He said “AHF Nigeria recently opened a Wellness Centre in both Abuja and Benue, as a response to the rising waves of STIs among adolescents and young people, noting that the Foundation’s decision to programme for this population is the reason it is partnering with the Keffi State University in order to expand access for students and empower other youths to take charge of their health” Dr. Echey Ijezie exclaimed.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a global non-profit organization providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to over 2.7 million people in 50 countries worldwide in Africa, the Americas, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Europe. We are currently the largest non-profit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the world.
