Health

140,000 Children Under Age 14 Living With HIV in Nigeria -UNAIDS

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2024

Charles Flames

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MOH, NACA Launches PMTCT and Pediatric AIDS Acceleration Plan Committee

The Federal Ministry of Health, in partnership with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has launched the Prevention of Mother-to-child transmission(PMTCT) and Pediatric AIDS Acceleration Committee at a landmark event in Abuja.

In 2021, national and state-level consultations led to the development of Nigeria’s Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children Action Plan which was designed to scale up PMTCT efforts and pediatric HIV addressing the coverage gaps but despite the comprehensive strategy and accompanying financial commitment, PMTCT and pediatric HIV coverage has remained critically low.

In her welcome remarks, the Director General of NACA, Temitope Ilori noted that Nigeria faces a critical challenge in preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and ensuring access to care for children living with HIV.

She described the gathering as one that is to provide an oversight to the PMTCT and Pediatric HIV programme implementation while supporting the government-mandated structures to ending HIV and AIDS among children.

“Our epidemiological estimates say 140,000 children under 14 are living with HIV as of 2023, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths in children.

Current PMTCT and pediatric HIV coverage remain alarmingly low at less than 33%, far short of the 95% target”, she stated.

The NACA DG believes that the infamous narrative of Nigeria’s contribution to the global burden of PMTCT and pediatric HIV can be changed and longs to see that no child is born HIV positive in Nigeria.

Also at the event, The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Coordinator Mrs. Funmi Adesanya noted that the US Government through the President’s Emergency plan for AIDS relief has invested more than $8.3bn over the last 21 years to eliminate HIV as a public health threat by 2030 here in Nigeria.

“These resources have been invested in health systems strengthening, health products including ARVs and rapid test kits, Human Resources and surge staff.

“We commend the leadership of the Government of Nigeria for its vision to addressing this urgent issue because it is an emergency.

“No child in Nigeria should be born with HIV and the U.S. Government is committed to our partnership to ensure that this is a reality.

Now is the time and we believe we have the right leadership represented to achieve this goal”, she stated.

In a goodwill message delivered by the first lady of Kwara State and the chairperson of the Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum, Prof. Olufolake Abdulrasaq, she commended the Honourable Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa for giving light foot to the efforts of the government in bridging this gap through the establishment of the committee and believes that such will be put in place at sub national levels as well.

“As critical stakeholders the Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum is committed to supporting this drive with a view to achieving this important national milestone.

“As you may be aware the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum is an organization deeply committed to improving the health and well-being of Nigerians.

The forum has consistently championed and supported initiatives that promote healthcare, education, cancer awareness, and nutrition, as well as those addressing sexual and gender-based violence, drug abuse among women and children, and climate change in our respective states.

“With this event today it is however time to scale up these sensitization exercises by coming out and amplifying the message towards ensuring that AIDS is eliminated from our communities by the year 2030”, she said.

Other guests at the landmark event includes the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare Prof. Mohammed Ali-Pate, the Honourable Minister for State for Health and Social Welfare Dr Tunji Alausa, the Executive Governor of Kwara State and Chairperson Nigerian Governor’s Forum, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq ably represented by the Director General Nigerian Governor’s Forum, Dr Lateef Shittu, the Chairperson Commissioners of Health Forum Dr Oyebanji Filani, the Chief Executive of the State AIDS Control Agency Forum Dr Adedayo Adegbolu, the National Coordinator National AIDS, Hepatitis and STI Control Programme Dr. Adebobola Bashorun, the UN Country Director Dr. Leo Zekeng, the National Coordinator Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria Mrs. Esther Hindi, the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) Executive Secretary Mr. Tajudeen Ibrahim, the Country Director, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Dr. Echey Ijezie, Chief Executives of Partner Organizations and other Senior Government Functionaries

Health

WHO: United States membership withdrawal takes effect

Reacting to the development, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed regret over the decision and urged the United States to reconsider.

Published

2 weeks ago

January 23, 2026

OCHEFA

64 Views

The United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially took effect on Thursday, exactly one year after President Donald Trump ordered the country to pull out of the global health body.

Under the terms governing WHO membership, a withdrawal becomes effective after a mandatory one-year notice period, which expired on Thursday 22 January, following the executive order signed by Trump shortly after he took office in 2025.

Although the agreement requires the United States to settle all outstanding financial obligations before withdrawal, that condition has not been met. However, the WHO has no legal mechanism to enforce payment or prevent a member state from exiting the organisation.

Reacting to the development, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed regret over the decision and urged the United States to reconsider.

“The withdrawal is a loss for the United States and also a loss for the rest of the world,” Tedros said, adding that the organisation remains open to the country’s return.

President Trump had justified the decision by accusing the WHO of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in Wuhan, China, as well as other global health emergencies.

He also cited the organisation’s alleged failure to implement necessary reforms and its inability to operate independently of political influence from member states.

Health

Obasanjo to champion Nigeria’s newborns health as 800 die Everyday

Speaking at a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State, ahead of the 57th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association, Ekure lamented about Nigeria’s worsening child health indicators, warning that vaccine-preventable diseases, malnutrition and rising newborn deaths continue to claim thousands of young lives daily.

Published

2 weeks ago

January 20, 2026

OCHEFA

81 Views

Image credit: Meta AI

The Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) says that former President , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has accepted to be an advocate for children’s nutrition and healthcare in an efforts to reduce the high deaths rate amongst them.

“More than 800 Nigerian families lose a newborn everyday, despite the fact that most of the deaths are preventable,” said the PAN President, Dr Ekanem Ekure.

While visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his residential house in OOPL, the association demanded that he should an advocate for children’s nutrition. A tasked he greatly accepted.

He pledged to be an advocate of child healthcare and utilize his strength even though he doesn’t have children at hand anymore.

Ekure said Nigeria remained off track in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3), particularly in the areas of neonatal and under-five survival, describing the situation as a national emergency requiring urgent political, financial and technological intervention.

According to her, about 50 percent of child deaths in Nigeria are worsened by malnutrition, noting that poorly nourished children are far more likely to die from infections than healthy ones.

Ekure blamed vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, poverty, insecurity and weak health financing for Nigeria’s high burden of preventable child deaths, warning that the resurgence of diseases such as measles in some parts of the country mirrored global trends where immunisation rates have fallen.

Health

Money-for-marks scandal rocks Rivers State medical college

Oreh said, “The Rivers State Ministry of Health, and indeed the Rivers State Government, have zero tolerance for corruption in any shape or form.”

Published

3 weeks ago

January 13, 2026

OCHEFA

84 Views

• Rivers State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh

The Rivers State Government has ordered a full-scale investigation into allegations of extortion, including money-for-marks and the sale of examination papers, at the State College of Medical Sciences in Port Harcourt.

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, disclosed that following the allegations, the government has suspended the head of one of the departments linked to the alleged offences, although the specific department was not disclosed.

She also announced that a committee chaired by the Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital had been constituted to thoroughly investigate the allegations.

Oreh said that the action followed a series of complaints against the institution, which also included allegations of students being compelled to pay for the approval of project topics.

Oreh said, “The Rivers State Ministry of Health, and indeed the Rivers State Government, have zero tolerance for corruption in any shape or form.”