• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Monday, July 14, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

HIV/AIDS And Human Rights

by Editorial
7 months ago
in Editorial
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

Every December 1, United Nations agencies, governments and civil societies  together join efforts in campaigning around specific themes related to Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Advertisement

Since 1988, communities have stood together on World AIDS Day to show strength and solidarity against HIV stigma and to remember lives lost from AIDS-related illnesses.

Each World AIDS Day focuses on a specific theme.  This year’s theme “Take the rights path” underscores upholding everyone’s human rights as an essential underpinning of an effective HIV response.

A new report by the United Nations Agency on AIDS ( UNAIDS) shows that the world can meet the agreed goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,  but only if leaders protect the human rights of everyone living with and at risk of HIV.

The UN agency recognised that gaps in the realisation of human rights for all are keeping the world from getting on the path that ends AIDS and are hurting public health. Now, a surge in attacks on rights is threatening to undermine the progress that has been made.

RELATED

Gunmen Kill 3 Vigilante Operatives, Set Police Station Ablaze In Anambra

Criminals Are Not Spirits

17 hours ago
Peter Rufai: Exit Of Dodo Mayana

Peter Rufai: Exit Of Dodo Mayana

2 days ago

We know that every human has a right to earn a living and to social participation through work and this is encapsulated in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESR) to which Nigeria is a signatory.

As a newspaper, we are worried that the country continues to face a significant challenge in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV with low paediatric HIV coverage .

In absolute numbers, South Africa (9.2 million), followed by Tanzania (2.55 million) and Mozambique (2.48 million) and Nigeria (2.45million) had the highest HIV/AIDS number of cases by the start of 2024.

The UNAIDS 2023 report shows that approximately 160,000  Nigerian children aged 0-14 are living with HIV, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurring each year.

A study carried out by The Lancet last year showed that  HIV prevalence in Nigeria varies by state, with Benue at 5.7 per cent has the highest prevalence, followed by Rivers 5.2 per cent, Akwa Ibom 3.5 per cent, Edo (3.4 per cent and Taraba 3.0 percent placing fourth and fifth, respectively. Jigawa had the lowest HIV prevalence (0.3 per cent), which was consistent with prior estimates.

Speaking at a press conference to commemorate the World AIDS Day, the director-general,  National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Temitope Ilori, emphasised the urgency of this year’s theme: “Take the Rights Path: Sustain HIV Response, Stop HIV Among Children to End AIDS in Nigeria by 2030.”

According to her, Nigeria is faced with a critical challenge in preventing mother to child transmission of HIV despite creating a comprehensive national strategy and financial commitment.

Ilori who disclosed that 1.4 percent, aged 15-64 years with an estimated two million people living with HIV in the country, attributed it to systematic problems,  ignorance, stigmatization and discrimination.

Sadly, we are aware that across many states in most of the Primary Health Care Centres (PHCC)  which are domiciled in communities, the ante natal clinics do not have testing kits  for pregnant women which are essential in testing HIV status of these women and in places where they have, the health workers charge user fees which is not supposed to be since they are donors.

In addition,  some pregnant women are charged as  high as N12,000 for delivery kits and N5,000 for registration for ante natal, which is quite high in view of the economic realities.

But providing an HIV-positive mother with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and support services throughout pregnancy, delivery, breastfeeding, and for the rest of her life can effectively eliminate this risk.

We recall that on February 11, 2015, then former President Goodluck Jonathan, signed a new anti-discrimination bill into law that protects the rights and dignity of people living with HIV.

The HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act 2014 makes it illegal to discriminate against people based on their HIV status and 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.

However, since the law was enacted, there has not been much awareness, public education and sensitization against discrimination of persons living with  HIV and AIDS except on a day like this when the issue comes up.

But this year’s theme joins a growing list of challenges that World AIDS Day has alerted people to globally.

Awareness-raising activities take place around the globe, with many people wearing red ribbon, the universal symbol of awareness of, support for and solidarity with people living with HIV and people living with HIV making their voices heard on issues important in their lives.

This newspaper knows that World AIDS Day remains as relevant today as it has always been, reminding people and governments that HIV has not gone away.

In our opinion, there is still a critical need for increased funding for the AIDS response, to increase awareness of the impact of HIV on people’s lives, to end stigma and discrimination and to improve the quality of life of people living with the disease.

 

 


We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →

Join Our WhatsApp Channel



Tags: HIV/AIDS
SendShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Ekiti Urban Renewal Policy To Birth Business Hubs From Slums

Next Post

National Hospital’s IGR Hits N500m Monthly

Editorial

Editorial

You May Like

Gunmen Kill 3 Vigilante Operatives, Set Police Station Ablaze In Anambra
Editorial

Criminals Are Not Spirits

2025/07/14
Peter Rufai: Exit Of Dodo Mayana
Editorial

Peter Rufai: Exit Of Dodo Mayana

2025/07/13
Retiring Teachers, NUT, SUBEB Disagree Over Stoppage Of Salaries
Editorial

Stop Attacks On Teachers

2025/07/11
Improving Mental Health Of Soldiers
Editorial

Improving Mental Health Of Soldiers

2025/07/10
NASS
Editorial

The Quest For Creation Of States

2025/07/08
Homemade Electric Vehicles? Laughable!
Editorial

Homemade Electric Vehicles? Laughable!

2025/07/07
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

PICTORIAL: Osinbajo, Dangote, Others Bid Awujale Farewell

‘Buhari Stood Firm When It Was Easier To Bend,’ Says Ex-SGF Boss Mustapha

PIA: Nigeria Must Win Battle Against $79.4m Daily Oil Theft — Kalu

Osimhen Close To Joining Galatasaray On Permanent Deal

King Of Morocco Pays Tribute To Buhari, Consoles Nigeria

Jonathan, Akufo-Addo Visit VP Shettima In London, Pay Tribute To Late President Buhari

Dafinone Hails Obaigbena As Nigerian Media Icon At 66

Buhari: Don’t Speak Ill Of The Dead, Shehu Sani Cautions Nigerians

VP Shettima Visits Ex-Head Of State Abdulsalami In London

Tinubu Sets Up Committee For Buhari’s State Burial

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.