As Nigeria celebrates Children’s Day, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has called on all stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding the health and future of Nigerian children by strengthening efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
The director-general of NAFDAC, Dr Temitope Ilori, said in a statement on Tuesday that every child deserves a healthy start to life. Yet, despite significant progress, thousands of children in Nigeria are still born with HIV each year.
Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services remain one of the most effective strategies in ending pediatric HIV and ensuring that no child is born with the virus, she said.
She said, “Children’s Day is a reminder that we must do everything within our power to protect the next generation. This includes ensuring that every pregnant woman has access to early testing, and if positive, is put on treatment, and continuous care throughout pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding.”
Dr Ilori noted that in recent years, the country has made significant strides in expanding PMTCT services, but gaps remain, explaining that the gaps are widened by stigma and discrimination that discourage women from seeking care.
