HIV: NACA, Y+ Global, UNAIDS worried over lack of healthcare, stigmatisation against children living with virus

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global), and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) have expressed concerns over the high rates of stigmatization against women and children living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

The local and international organizations also expressed concerns about the rate of stigmatization against women and children living with HIV.

The Special Assistant to the Executive Director of NACA, Esther Ikomi, called for initiatives to address the neglect of children living with HIV.

She added, “There is ongoing collaboration with agencies to sensitize communities.”

They made the call yesterday in Abuja during an awareness campaign focused on prioritizing the well-being of children living with HIV.

Y+ Global also called for urgent prioritization of healthcare and resources for children and pregnant women living with the virus, especially in rural communities.

The consortium adviser to Y+ Global, Faith Onuh, at the awareness campaign, expressed concerns over the high rate of children living with HIV, calling for the gap to be bridged while ensuring equitable healthcare provision for such children.

She also emphasized that for children living with HIV, “their access to healthcare should be prioritized, while pregnancy and childbirth should be promoted to ensure improved child survival.”

Adding his voice to the call, the community support adviser to UNAIDS, Gabriel Undelikwo, said, “There is a need to sensitize the public on the Anti-Discrimination Act that makes it illegal to discriminate against people based on their HIV status.

“It also prohibits any employer, individual, or organization from requiring a person to take an HIV test as a precondition for employment or access to services.”