Angela Onwuzoo As part of efforts to address gaps in testing and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and achieve zero transmission to newborns, the Federal Government has launched the PMTCT/Paediatrics AIDS Acceleration Plan Committee in line with global best practices. Unveiling the committee in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the Federal Government was working tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria reverses the negative narrative of its contribution to the global burden of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Experts say Nigeria needs to tackle mother-to-child transmission of HIV to meet the 2030 target.
Evidence shows that Nigeria faces a critical challenge in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and ensuring access to care for children living with HIV. A 2022 data by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates that no fewer than 170,000 children under 14 years are living with HIV; with 26,000 new infections and 17, 000 AIDS-related deaths in children in Nigeria. Current PMTCT and paediatric HIV coverage remain alarmingly low at less than 35 per cent, far short of the 95 per cent target.
In 2021, Nigeria’s Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children Action Plan was developed to scale up paediatric HIV care and eliminate vertical transmission of HIV between mothers and their children. The minister expressed worry that three years after the action was developed, the country was yet to.