| DESPITE efforts to reduce the spread of the Human | | | | "Some progress has been made since the onset of |
| Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) globally, indications | | | | the G-8 Africa dialogue but there is need to intensify |
| have shown that the world might just be losing the | | | | action in many areas," he said. |
| battle. | | | | Meanwhile the First Lady, Turai Yar'Adua, has |
| Executive Director of the United Nations Joint | | | | attributed the rise of HIV/AIDS in the country to |
| Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS), Michael Sidibe, at the | | | | lack of knowledge due to the dearth of information. |
| opening ceremonies of the third Eastern Europe and | | | | Turai who spoke yesterday in Abuja at the public |
| Central Asia Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome | | | | presentation of the book entitled: "Family/personal |
| (AIDS) Conference held in Moscow declared that the | | | | guide against HIV/AIDS", said that the book itself, |
| world is losing the battle to stop the spread of HIV | | | | which was holistic in manner, provided the necessary |
| AIDS. | | | | information about how families could deal with the |
| Sidibe said recent data showed an increase in the | | | | prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. |
| number of new infections with 7,400 persons testing | | | | Represented by the wife of the Deputy Senate |
| positive to HIV on a daily basis and that for two | | | | President, Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu, Turai said "the |
| persons placed on Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs there | | | | fight against this disease should not be left to the |
| are five new infections. | | | | government and the private sector alone", but that |
| The UNAIDS helmsman called for reflection on the | | | | "this fight should be more of a common responsibility |
| global agenda hinged on prevention, stating that "the | | | | of individuals." |
| only time we can say that we reached our aim is | | | | She, however, recommended the book for families, |
| when we have lesser number of persons newly | | | | schools, organisation, persons and the generality of |
| infected when compared to persons on treatment." | | | | Nigerians. |
| Describing the youths who are most affected as | | | | Director-General, National Agency for the Control of |
| integral to global development, Sidibe urged world | | | | AIDS (NACA), Prof. John Idoko, at the launch noted |
| leaders to work towards the attainment of universal | | | | that people did not have the right information on |
| access to preventive methods as well as the | | | | how to protect themselves which has caused a rise |
| treatment of HIV/AIDS. | | | | in the disease. |
| He further warned that with the estimated 10 years | | | | He explained that the message must be taken down |
| needed to conclude work on the development of an | | | | to the grassroots, adding that some of them were |
| HIV vaccine in Thailand, "this is not the time to do | | | | not even aware it existed. |
| less or to do something else. Universal access is not | | | | He noted that "information is key to reducing the |
| about numbers but reaching those who need to be | | | | increase of the virus, which on the long run, will bring |
| reached." | | | | about behavioural change." |
| In his presentation at the AIDS summit, Nigeria's | | | | Treatment, Idoko said, is possible, but prevention, he |
| Minister for Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, | | | | added, was the key. |
| advocated the feminisation of the global response to | | | | President, Human Resources Development Trust |
| AIDS. | | | | (HRDT) and the publishers of the book, Mr. Carl |
| Represented by the National Co-ordinator of HIV | | | | Okorie, pointed out that women made up to 67 per |
| AIDS control in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jide Coker, | | | | cent of the infected group adding that one of the |
| he said in a paper titled: "Promoting sustainable human | | | | major causes of the phenomenon was the lack of |
| and social development", that the UNAIDS reports | | | | knowledge due to the dearth of information. |
| indicated a high burden in mother- to- child | | | | He said in the course of investigation, it was |
| transmission in Africa. | | | | discovered that "most of the existing strategies |
| Poor health infrastructure and weak health systems | | | | adopted by stakeholders in the fight yield counter |
| of African countries were also identified as slowing | | | | results due to misapplication and misinterpretation of |
| down Africa's movement towards the attainment of | | | | information. And the shocking misinterpretation of the |
| the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). | | | | disease by students in the secondary schools made |
| He, however, added that since the 2001 Genoa | | | | us understand why efforts by international |
| Declaration and the adoption of the Group of Eight | | | | organisation and government yielded no results." |
| (G-8) Africa Development Plan, there has been | | | | Okorie noted that there was the need to strive |
| significant improvement in the drive to eradicate polio | | | | more for thorough testing, improved education and |
| as well as the control of HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and | | | | prevention strategies. |
| malaria. | | | | |