HIV/Aids survey gets massive financial push

ABUJA: The Nigerian government’s partners in the fight against HIV/ Aids have set aside $100 million (R1.4 billion) to conduct a national survey to rebase the HIV epidemic in the country.

Dr Erasmus Morah, country director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS), made the disclosure in Abuja.

He said that most support for the survey would come from the US government and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Morah said available data showed that Nigeria has about 3.2 million people living with HIV, with a prevalence of about 3.2%.

“Some people feel that Nigeria doesn’t have as many as 3.2 million people living with HIV, while others feel that more than 3.2 million people are living with HIV in Nigeria.

“We need to take a closer look at the HIV prevalence in Nigeria. A national survey will tell us the exact prevalence in the country,” he said.

Morah said the survey would be conducted in 2018. He said that UNAIDS was providing support to Nigeria to own and sustain funding the HIV response.

Morah commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent commitment to maintain 60000 people living with HIV on treatment.

He also commended the efforts of the president to care for additional 50 000 people on treatment each year, using domestic resources, as part of Nigeria’s HIV Fast Track plan.

Buhari’s groundbreaking commitment to care for an additional 50000 people was made in a statement issued on his behalf by the director- general of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (Naca), Dr Sani Aliyu.

He made the statement during the side-event on the HIV Fast Track at the 72nd UN General Assembly in New York.

“I envision a situation in future where the Nigerian government will be paying for antiretroviral drugs, test kits and other consumables that its citizens rely on to remain alive, healthy and productive,” he said.