First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has cautioned health authorities and Nigerians not to place much emphasis on the new coronavirus epidemic and neglect the HIV,AIDS that is rampant in the country.
She particularly appealed to the health workers to remember that they are obligated to reduce any potential risk to the HIV community as funding, researchers and healthcare are being diverted to Covid 19.
Speaking today, December 1, at commemorative session of the World AIDS Day, 2020, Aisha Buhari said that it is essential that health services remain available to people living with and affected by HIV.
The First Lady, whose speech was delivered by the Special Assistant to the President on African First Ladies, Dr. Mrs. Mairo Almakura, noted that no other epidemic has received as much global attention and support like HIV in the past two decades.
Aisha Buhari said that she advocated for the eradication of mother to child transmission of HIV in Nigeria and has mobilized the support of Governors’ wives to do the same at the state level.
She said that she has also mobilized her team at Future Assured to collaborate with NACA on the inclusion of HIV services during the MNCH weeks.
She said that a joint initiative by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, African countries and international organizations has led to a three-year health promotion and HIV prevention advocacy among young people to ensure that HIV/AIDS is eradicated by 2030.
This was even as the President of National Council for Women Societies, Mrs. Gloria Laraba Shoda highlighting the possibility of higher rates of HIV for women due to gender based violence, exacerbated by the increased rates of insurgency, banditry, cattle rustling and domestic violence due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
She called for concerted effort to ensure that this is prevented from happening.
