The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), an NGO, has urged world leaders to continue fighting AIDS in order to safeguard progress made in combating the scourge that has ravaged the world for more than 30 years.
This was revealed in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr Steve Aborisade, Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, to mark World AIDS Day 2021.
WAD is observed annually to rally global leaders’ support to end the inequalities that fuel AIDS, with a special emphasis on reaching those who have been left behind.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the theme is “End Inequalities, End AIDS.”
The event aims to refocus the world’s attention on the AIDS pandemic and people living with or affected by HIV around the world, as a reminder of the importance of HIV testing, prevention, and treatment.
According to Dr Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director, the 2021 WAD was especially important for stakeholders to take stock and recommit to closing the gaps left by COVID-19.
“It is worth noting that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria was able to make significant gains in terms of increasing the number of people on treatment.”
“However, gaps in pediatrics and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programming are visible, with children being infected by their mothers.”
“As part of the drive to achieve epidemic control of HIV and AIDS, stakeholders in Nigeria must do more to reverse the trend and end inequality.”
“Furthermore, significant attention must be paid to long-term funding for HIV and AIDS,” Ijezie added.
According to Terri Ford, AHF’s Chief of Global Advocacy and Policy, HIV and AIDS are still responsible for nearly 700,000 deaths worldwide each year.
“According to a recent Global Fund report, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on health systems and service delivery in low and middle-income countries.”
“As a result, nearly two-thirds of countries’ HIV service delivery has been disrupted, and HIV testing fell 41% from April to September 2020, compared to the same period in 2019.”
“Despite numerous challenges, COVID-19 should not be used as an excuse to permanently reduce the global response to AIDS.”
“World leaders must combat COVID-19 by committing to global vaccine access, as well as keep the promise on AIDS by ensuring HIV service availability.”
According to the most recent UNAIDS statistics, 38 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS, and 1.5 million people will become newly infected with HIV by 2020, according to Dr. Penninah Iutung, Africa Bureau Chief, AHF.
Despite significant progress in the global fight against HIV and AIDS, COVID-19, according to Lutung, threatens to undo those gains by interfering with the world’s ability to respond to HIV, particularly in the most vulnerable populations.
While millions of people were receiving life-saving antiretroviral therapy, he noted that millions more were still in desperate need.
The Bureau Chief, on the other hand, urged world leaders to take appropriate action by ensuring that those most in need, whether for HIV or COVID-19, receive the resources they require to live healthy and productive lives.
In honor of the day, AHF announced that the Foundation would host a variety of commemorative live and virtual events in the majority of its 45 countries.
AHF Nigeria will host two youth-themed events, a media drive via radio programming, and a testing drive for the young population in each of the six states where the organization operates.