Thousands of stakeholders gathered in Asaba, Delta State Capital for the flag-off of the Free to Shine Triple Campaign of HIV/AIDS, Syphilis and Hepatitis among women of reproductive age for the South-South Zone by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The campaign was geared towards raising public awareness of elimination of mother to child transmission, vertical transmission and treatment of children born with HIV/AIDS.
Mrs Tinubu said that the free to shine campaign was an advocacy initiative led by the African Union, the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development and Global Partners.
“The goal of this campaign is to address the grey complacencies in the response to the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
”Nigeria, being the country with the highest burden of HIV/AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa due to its large population, faces significant challenges.
“This burden is particularly severe among children, youths, women, men, and marginalised groups.
”To complement the free to shine campaign, I have also decided to advocate the triple elimination of HIV/AIDS, Syphilis and Hepatitis.
“The campaign will cover the six geopolitical zones of the nation. We launched the maiden campaign for the North-Central Zone in Kwara, followed by the North-West Zone in Kaduna.’
”According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in 2024, there were over a hundred thousand children, and nearly two million adults living with HIV.
“Also, it is reported that most infants born to HIV positive parents, are not tested within the first two months of birth; largely due to the fact that mothers are not aware or they are ignorant of the consequences of their inactions.
“It is heart breaking to note that just two years ago, 15,000 children aged zero to 14 lost their lives in AIDS related illnesses.
”Each of these children was not just a statistics but represented a future full of potential but was sadly cut short.
”The ongoing challenges faced by children born with HIV emphasize the urgent need for sustained actions to improve infection prevention strategies, enhance diagnosis, and expand access to treatment,” Mrs Tinubu said.
