The Country Director of the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Dr Funmi Adesanya, says the 2030 agenda on epidemic control in HiV response is critical and requires collective efforts of all stakeholders.
Dr Adesanya who stated this at a one-day National Dialogue on planning for the sustainability of the HIV response in Nigeria for Civil Society Organizations and Community leaders held at the Rockview Classic Hotels Abuja, maintained that government at all levels must be at the forefront in the sustainability plans to compliment the efforts of donors, and partners.
The PEPFAR Country Director who spoke through Dr Margaret Shelleng, said that active participation and political will must be exhibited, maintaining that Pepfar will continue to support the sustainability plans through funding and building capacities of the CSO
He revealed that a total of 1.5 million people are on HIV treatment in Nigeria and must be given adequate attention to achieve viral suppression to stop new infections.
Dr Adesanya pointed out that Civil Society Organizations and Community leaders have an enormous role to play in the Sustainability plan.
The representative of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Dr Leo Zekeng while emphasizing the importance of Sustainability, and the role of communities and Civil Society Organizations, pointed out that the CSOs and community leaders among other stakeholders must work together in mobilizing people to deal with the issue of stigma and discrimination to achieve the desired goals.
In her address, the Director General of the National Agency for Control of AIDS, Mrs Temi Tokpe, noted that the CSOs and other stakeholders must work with the government to take ownership of HIV response and not leave the responsibility on the government alone.
She pointed out that a lot has been achieved in the HIV response, but emphasized that more work is needed to achieve the 2030 agenda on HIV response.
In their speeches, the Executive Secretary of CCM Nigeria for global fund, Ibrahim Tajudeen, and National Coordinator NEPWHAN, Abdukador Ibrahim called for information share team workwork, noting that Civil Society Organizations, media and other Stakeholders must be on the same page with activism, innovativeness, even at the state level to achieve the sustainability framework.
National Watch reports that the engagement Workshop brought together all stakeholders in HIV response across the country.
