Some 22,000 children get infected with HIV annually in Nigeria, says UN

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) – The United Nations has disclosed that no fewer than 22,000 children get infected with HIV annually in Nigeria.

Mr Claes Johansson, Chief of Management for Results, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said this in Abuja on Tuesday at a national dialogue for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Nigeria.

“We are working within a framework to map out a strategy that we will work with for the next five years along with Nigeria. Ending the vertical transmission of HIV AIDS is one of the key actions that will also help end pandemics, which is what the global world is looking forward to," he said.

Mr. Johansson said there is so much to do and a long way to go, especially with the mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) taking about 32%, and one out of seven being infected on a monthly basis.

He said this situation that is not acceptable and for all these children who get infected about two third of them do not get treatment.

”So, we in the global community want the Nigerian government to tell us what their sustainable strategic plans are and what they need to eliminate vertical transmission. The UN and its affiliated agencies and bodies are always willing to help Nigeria put an end to PMTCT.”

Emphasising the need for a better strategy, Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Gambo Aliyu, said that it was more of the strategy not working rather than the PMTCT.

He explained that in 2016, there were about 13,000 infected pregnant mothers that were not getting treatment, but this had risen to 421,000 as at 2019.

Aliyu attributed the rise to many pregnant women not visiting health facilities.

-0- PANA MON/MA 5May2021