It is on record that World AIDS Day began in 2004 and since then various countries have continued in make impact in social circles and their respective AIDS control agencies. Nigeria is not an exception. In just one month plus, the annual ritual would once again play up in global consciousness on December 1.
Although individual countries deal with their peculiarities, there are particular issues that are general to all and these include among others the concern on stigmatisation.
In Nigeria, statistics, though unverified shows that there has been 64% reduction in deaths arising from AIDS since the World AIDS Day kicked off and became a day recognised and ‘celebrated by the United Nations.
The UNAIDS believes that the inequalities which perpetuate the AIDS pandemic are not inevitable; and can be tackled. It is on that promising note this year’s World AIDS Day, seems to urge on all of humanity to address the inequalities which are holding back progress in ending AIDS.
There is a prompt for all of humanity to work for the proven practical actions needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS. These include:
· Increase availability, quality and suitability of services, for HIV treatment, testing and prevention, so that everyone is well-served.
· Reform laws, policies and practices to tackle the stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV and by key and marginalised populations, so that everyone is shown respect and is welcomed.
· Ensure the sharing of technology to enable equal access to the best HIV science, between communities and between the Global South and North.
· Communities will be able to make use of and adapt the “Equalize” message to highlight the particular inequalities they face and to press for the actions needed to address them.
Data from UNAIDS on the global HIV response reveals that during the years of COVID-19 and other global crises, progress against the HIV pandemic has faltered, resources have shrunk, and millions of lives have been at risk as a result.
Four decades into the HIV response, inequalities still persist for the most basic services like testing, treatment, and condoms, and even more so for new technologies.
Young women in Africa remain disproportionately affected by HIV, while coverage of dedicated programmes for them remains too low. In 19 high-burden countries in Africa, dedicated combination prevention programmes for adolescent girls and young women are operating in only 40% of the high HIV incidence locations, global agencies stress.
Only a third of people in key populations— including gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who use drugs, sex workers, and prisoners have regular prevention access. Key populations face major legal barriers including criminalisation, discrimination and stigma.
“We have only six years left before the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a global health threat. Economic, social, cultural and legal inequalities must be addressed as a matter of urgency. In a pandemic, inequalities exacerbate the dangers for everyone. Indeed, the end of AIDS can only be achieved if we tackle the inequalities which drive it. World leaders need to act with bold and accountable leadership. And all of us, everywhere, must do all we can to help tackle inequalities too”, UNAIDS once reiterated.
There are increasing worries according to global body that earlier AIDS response is in danger with rising new infections and continuing deaths in many parts of the world. Now, a new report from UNAIDS shows that inequalities are the underlying reasons for that. It shows how world leaders can tackle those inequalities, and calls on them to be courageous to follow what the evidence reveals.
It is understood that gender inequalities and harmful gender norms are holding back the end of the AIDS pandemic. “Women are subjected to intimate partner violence face up to a 50% higher chance of acquiring HIV. Across 33 countries from 2015-2021 only 41% of married women aged 15-24 could make their own decisions on sexual health. The only effective route map to ending AIDS, achieving the sustainable development goals and ensuring health, rights and shared prosperity, is a feminist route map. Women’s rights organisations and movements are already on the frontlines doing this bold work. Leaders need to support them and learn from them, according to UNAIDS.
Back home, stakeholders need to bridge the gap in these observed inequalities where access to tools, information cut across age, sex and social strata. The dominance of men where they would rather their spouses keep silent on their ‘family’ health status would not only inhibit quick intervention but hasten other avoidable consequences including death.
We call on our local authorities to firm up advocacy against stigmatisation and inequality which have been mostly our experience.
Indeed, mortality rate from AIDS is less severe than other pandemics that the world has World AIDS Day Around The Corner Again
It is on record that World AIDS Day began in 2004 and since then various countries have continued in make impact in social circles and their respective AIDS control agencies. Nigeria is not an exception. In just one month plus, the annual ritual would once again play up in global consciousness on December 1.
Although individual countries deal with their peculiarities, there are particular issues that are general to all and these include among others the concern on stigmatisation.
In Nigeria, statistics, though unverified shows that there has been 64% reduction in deaths arising from AIDS since the World AIDS Day kicked off and became a day recognised and ‘celebrated by the United Nations.
The UNAIDS believes that the inequalities which perpetuate the AIDS pandemic are not inevitable; and can be tackled. It is on that promising note this year’s World AIDS Day, seems to urge on all of humanity to address the inequalities which are holding back progress in ending AIDS.
There is a prompt for all of humanity to work for the proven practical actions needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS. These include:
· Increase availability, quality and suitability of services, for HIV treatment, testing and prevention, so that everyone is well-served.
· Reform laws, policies and practices to tackle the stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV and by key and marginalised populations, so that everyone is shown respect and is welcomed.
· Ensure the sharing of technology to enable equal access to the best HIV science, between communities and between the Global South and North.
· Communities will be able to make use of and adapt the “Equalize” message to highlight the particular inequalities they face and to press for the actions needed to address them.
Data from UNAIDS on the global HIV response reveals that during the years of COVID-19 and other global crises, progress against the HIV pandemic has faltered, resources have shrunk, and millions of lives have been at risk as a result.
Four decades into the HIV response, inequalities still persist for the most basic services like testing, treatment, and condoms, and even more so for new technologies.
Young women in Africa remain disproportionately affected by HIV, while coverage of dedicated programmes for them remains too low. In 19 high-burden countries in Africa, dedicated combination prevention programmes for adolescent girls and young women are operating in only 40% of the high HIV incidence locations, global agencies stress.
Only a third of people in key populations— including gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who use drugs, sex workers, and prisoners—have regular prevention access. Key populations face major legal barriers including criminalisation, discrimination and stigma.
“We have only six years left before the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a global health threat. Economic, social, cultural and legal inequalities must be addressed as a matter of urgency. In a pandemic, inequalities exacerbate the dangers for everyone. Indeed, the end of AIDS can only be achieved if we tackle the inequalities which drive it. World leaders need to act with bold and accountable leadership. And all of us, everywhere, must do all we can to help tackle inequalities too”, UNAIDS once reiterated.
There are increasing worries according to global body that earlier AIDS response is in danger—with rising new infections and continuing deaths in many parts of the world. Now, a new report from UNAIDS shows that inequalities are the underlying reasons for that. It shows how world leaders can tackle those inequalities, and calls on them to be courageous to follow what the evidence reveals.
It is understood that gender inequalities and harmful gender norms are holding back the end of the AIDS pandemic. “Women are subjected to intimate partner violence face up to a 50% higher chance of acquiring HIV. Across 33 countries from 2015-2021 only 41% of married women aged 15-24 could make their own decisions on sexual health. The only effective route map to ending AIDS, achieving the sustainable development goals and ensuring health, rights and shared prosperity, is a feminist route map. Women’s rights organisations and movements are already on the frontlines doing this bold work. Leaders need to support them and learn from them, according to UNAIDS.
Back home, stakeholders need to bridge the gap in these observed inequalities where access to tools, information cut across age, sex and social strata. The dominance of men where they would rather their spouses keep silent on their ‘family’ health status would not only inhibit quick intervention but hasten other avoidable consequences including death.
We call on our local authorities to firm up advocacy against stigmatisation and inequality which have been mostly our experience.
Indeed, mortality rate from AIDS is less severe than other pandemics that the world has known in contemporary health history. It is not a death sentence as we urge our citizens to embrace healthy sex habits and do regular checks to keep safe even if inadvertently infected. in contemporary health history. It is not a death sentence as we urge our citizens to embrace healthy sex habits and do regular checks to keep safe even if inadvertently infected.
