The National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, has expressed optimism that Nigeria will achieve HIV epidemic control in the next twelve months.
The Director General of NACA, Dr Gambo Aliyu stated this at a one day National Policy Dialogue on the New Global AIDS Strategy(GAS) and Political Declaration (PD) in Abuja.
According to him, the policy dialogue remained one of the critical decision-making platforms for national multi-sectoral HIV/AIDS response in Nigeria which provides opportunities for discussions on emerging issues for improvement and to achieve set goals.
The NACA DG said even though Nigeria ranked forth in the highest burden of HIV in the world after India, Mozambique and South Africa, it has however built a response which has led to more persons been placed on treatment leading to a decline in morbidity and mortality.
For the Chairman of the Chief Executive Officers of State Agencies for the Control of AIDS, SACA’s, Dr Dayo Adegbulu, their was need to involve relevant stakeholders at the commencement of every Policy development to effectively drive the implementation process.
On his part, the National President, Network of People Living With HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, NEPWHAN, Mr Abdulkadir Ibrahim represented by the Senior Programme officer of the Network, Mr James Atusue called for more sensitization and empowerment of persons living with HIV/AIDS on their rights for adequate and quality services.
The event was attended by stakeholders in the Sector.
RADIO NIGERIA