Federal Gov’t Restates Commitment To Ending Paediatric HIV, Mother-to-Child Transmission

The National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCP) of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to eliminating paediatric HIV and preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of the virus in Nigeria.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the National HIV Health Sector Symposium, themed: “Advancing PMTCT and Paediatric Treatment Coverage in Nigeria”, the national coordinator of NASCP, Dr. Adebobola Bashorun, highlighted over a decade of progress in protecting vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant women and children from HIV infection.

Dr. Bashorun said Nigeria has made significant strides in paediatric HIV treatment and PMTCT interventions, noting that in 2023, children accounted for over 100,000 of the 1.9 million people living with HIV in the country. That number has now dropped to 67,000, evidence that the focused strategies were yielding results, he said.

He said a remarkable scale-up of PMTCT services, with over 90 per cent of identified HIV-positive pregnant women now receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), a jump from 34 per cent in 2023 to 63 per cent in 2024.

He also noted the expansion of service delivery points (SDPs) for HIV care from 6,000 to over 40,000 functional sites, using the hub-and-spoke model to reach more communities and the deployment of 85 mPIMA point-of-care machines and increased GeneXpert platforms from 103 to 141 sites, significantly improving Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) and prompt initiation of ART in newborns.

In alignment with World Health Organisation guidelines, Dr. Bashorun said NASCP has introduced child-friendly ART formulations, including DTG 10mg, and adopted multi-month dispensing (MMD) to improve adherence and treatment retention in children. Paediatric ART coverage has risen impressively from 30 per cent in 2023 to 74 per cent in 2024, with plans underway to introduce TAF-based regimens into the national programme, he added.

The programme also showcased several new strategies targeting advanced HIV disease in children, including the Paediatric Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) package, launched in six high-burden states; Gombe, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, and Benue, to tackle late-stage diagnosis and reduce child mortality.

Dr. Bashorun emphasised NASCP’s ongoing partnerships with development donors, implementing agencies, and state governments to sustain and build on these gains. A comprehensive Paediatric/Adolescent TB-HIV Framework is also in development to further integrate services and improve outcomes.

He further stated that plans are underway to link HIV services with State Health Insurance Schemes, ensuring long-term sustainability and equitable access to care for children and adolescents.

The upcoming National HIV Health Sector Symposium is expected to bring together policymakers, health professionals, partners, and civil society to consolidate efforts and accelerate progress toward eliminating mother-to-child transmission and scaling up paediatric HIV treatment across the country.