Stakeholders have renewed calls for better access to healthcare and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services, stressing the need to reduce HIV transmission and improve the overall well-being of people living with the virus in Nigeria.
This appeal was made during a one-day dissemination meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, where research findings on PMTCT and Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) of HIV were presented.
The event was organised by the Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (ASHWAN).
Mrs Esther Hindi, ASHWAN’s National Coordinator, identified numerous challenges hindering effective HIV response, including poor healthcare access, stigma, and discrimination.
“We must create an enabling environment for women living with HIV, particularly pregnant women, to ensure they can access healthcare services without fear or barriers,” Hindi urged.
She emphasised the need for increased sensitisation campaigns, community-led interventions, peer support systems, and more robust healthcare structures. Hindi also called for the implementation of anti-stigma laws, pointing out that many states are yet to enact such legislation.
“Although we have strong policies, many remain inactive. It is time to activate and enforce them so that those who discriminate are held accountable,” she said.
Hindi further stressed the importance of training and retraining healthcare workers to provide compassionate, non-discriminatory care to people living with HIV.
Under the Love Alliance project, backed by the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), ASHWAN has been addressing critical service delivery gaps in Delta, Oyo, Nasarawa, and Kebbi states. The initiative aims to amplify the voices of marginalised groups and empower them to advocate for their rights.
Mr Usman Muhammad-Magiro, Programme Manager of the Kebbi State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KBSACA), called for greater stakeholder collaboration, increased community-level awareness, and improved funding to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission.
Also speaking, Ms Joy Adiele of the Goshen Foundation pledged that the research findings would be disseminated at the grassroots level to bolster efforts to eradicate PMTCT.
Ayomide Joshua, Programme Officer at Lawyer’s Alert, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to defending the rights of women and other vulnerable populations.
In a show of community support, Alhaji Ahmadu Bako, Chief of Kuruduma community in One Man Village, Nasarawa State, commended ASHWAN for its efforts and promised the community’s continued engagement in raising awareness on HIV prevention and care.