As Nigeria celebrates the 2025 Children’s Day, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS has called on all stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding the health and future of Nigerian children by strengthening efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
A statement signed by the Director General of NACA, Dr. Temitope Ilori on Tuesday noted that every child deserves a healthy start to life.
Ilori said, despite significant progress, thousands of children in Nigeria are still born with HIV each year – a preventable tragedy.
According to her, Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV services remain one of the most effective strategies in ending paediatric HIV and ensuring that no child is born with the virus.
“Children’s Day is a reminder that we must do everything within our power to protect the next generation.
“This includes ensuring that every pregnant woman has access to early testing, and if positive, is put on treatment, and continuous care throughout pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding,” said Ilori.
She further said in recent years, Nigeria has made important strides in expanding PMTCT services, but gaps remain, and these gaps are widened by stigma and discrimination that discourage women from seeking care.
“Hence, on this Children’s Day, we urge healthcare providers to ensure quality, respectful care for women and children; community and faith-based organisations to raise awareness and fight stigma; families and caregivers to support women to access and adhere to treatment.
“An HIV-free generation is possible, but only if we act with urgency and compassion.
“Together, let’s celebrate our children by protecting their right to be born free of HIV,” she added.
In February, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, launched the ‘Free to Shine’ campaign, a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing new HIV infections among women of reproductive age and preventing mother-to-child transmission.
Speaking at the flag-off of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development’s ‘Free to Shine’ campaign in the North-West zone in Kaduna, Tinubu emphasised the importance of the initiative, stating that Nigeria has the highest burden of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to her, the campaign seeks to ensure that every child born with HIV receives the necessary treatment and support to thrive.
The First Lady also expressed concern over the high number of children and adults living with HIV in Nigeria, citing statistics from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
“In 2024, there were over 100,000 children and nearly two million adults living with HIV. It is also reported that most infants born to HIV-positive mothers are not tested within the first two months of birth, largely because the mothers are either unaware or ignorant of the consequences of their inaction,” she said.
