The Federal Government has launched the ‘Undetectable=Untransmittable’ (“U=U”) campaign to promote the benefit of treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS and encourage HIV positive persons to access treatment.
Launching the campaign on Monday in commemoration of the 2019 World AIDS Day (WAD) with the theme, “Communities Make the Difference’’, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan said the campaign will help the country achieve zero new HIV infections and reduce stigma for Nigerians living with HIV.
He said,Nigeria is reaffirming its commitment through all the relevant communities to make the difference in the National HIV response to attain the 90-90-90 goal by the end of 2020.
“With the unveiling of this campaign, we are joining the rest of the international community to raise the consciousness of all Nigerians to the fact that Undetectable viral load equals to Untransmittable virus. With the unveiling of this campaign, we stand with Nigerians living with HIV to support their goal of viral load suppression,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Director General, NACA, Dr. Gambo Aliyu said, the theme of this year’s WAD acknowledged the essential role communities play in the global HIV response.
“Communities include; networks of people living with or are affected by HIV, women and young people, peer educators, counsellors, community health workers, door-to-door service providers, civil society organizations, media, religious leaders, traditional rulers, policy makers, implementing partners and activists.”
Dr Gambo said, earlier this year President Muhammadu Buhari released results of the Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) which showed the huge difference communities in Nigeria made in stemming the tide of HIV epidemic.
“Communities working with Government, PEPFAR, Global Funds and other donor agencies over the last 15 years succeeded in reducing HIV prevalence from 4.4% in 2005 to 1.4% in 2018. This outstanding performance by our communities has put Nigeria on the path of achieving HIV epidemic control.”
The DG, however, stated that achieving epidemic control will require more resources in the form of community time and effort to educate the society, fight stigma and discrimination, to improve access to HIV services by every member of the community.
He added that Nigeria needs to ensure her programmes for prevention, treatment and care are community compliant, targeted, cost efficient and sustainable.
“This is possible with meaningful community engagement in planning, budgeting and implementation of our intervention programs.
“Therefore, when Nigeria says that Undetectable viral load equals Untransmittable virus, Nigeria is joining the international community in basing her position on solid scientific evidence.
“The drive for Undetectable viral load in order to achieve Untransmittable virus is promoting the benefits of ARV treatment for Nigerians living with HIV while encouraging more HIV positive Nigerians to access treatment.”
Also commenting, the U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief Mission, Ms Kathleen FitzGibbon, in her remark at the launch said, the “U=U” is an information campaign about how effective HIV medications are at preventing sexual transmission of HIV.
Ms FitzGibbon noted that for the first time in modern history, they have the opportunity to control the AIDS epidemic in Nigeria adding that “U=U” has proven to change the way people view HIV and HIV-positive individuals.
“It empowers patients to not only get tested but to take control of their status, with the ultimate goal of maintaining an undetectable viral load.
“With the great partnership we share with the government of Nigeria, I’m sure we can achieve HIV epidemic control in Nigeria,” she said.
Currently, more than 720 organizations have joined the “U =U” campaign from over 90 countries.
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