The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Tuesday stated the need to redouble efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission and strive for an AIDS-free generation by 2030, leveraging the advancements in health technology at their disposal.
The Director General of National Agency for the Control of AIDS, (NACA), Dr Temitope llori, stated this in Abuja at the first ever Nigeria HIV Prevention Conference with the theme: “Accelerating HIV Prevention to End AIDS through Innovations and Community Engagement.”
He added that prevention lies at the core of the public health interventions and the conference serves as a platform to explore innovative approaches to empower communities, particularly those at higher risk, with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves from HIV infection.
“Stigma and discrimination remains significant barriers to achieving our goals by 2030.
“We must educate and sensitise people about the harmful effects of stigma and discrimination against individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Our strategies must be inclusive, person-centred, and sensitive to the needs of adolescents, young people, key populations, and people living with HIV/AIDS. We must also focus on community-based interventions while promoting local ownership and sustainability of our response efforts,” she stated.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, was represented by the Director and Senior Technical Assistant, Dr David Atuwo.
