The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) says that Nigeria recorded a total of 77,000 new HIV infections and 43,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2022.
The National Programme officer of the organization, Doris Ogbang made the disclosure Tuesday, Dec. 5 in Abuja during the commemoration of World AIDS Day (WAD), by the UN system in Nigeria.
She said that 60% of the new HIV infections in Nigeria were females, 40% were males, 29% were children and 17% were young people from the age of 15-24 years.
She said 1.9 million people are living with HIV in Nigeria, comprising 1.8 million adults (92%) and 160,000 (8%) children.
Ogbang said globally an estimated 1.3 million new HIV infections occurred in 2022 with 46% of them female and 54% male.
She said that to end AIDS, there is a need to end inequalities and fight stigma and discrimination against people living with the disease.
She added that there was a need to prioritize HIV prevention, integration, and sustainability of the response.
UNAIDS Country Representative, Dr Leo Zekeng who was represented by the Senior Strategic Information Adviser said it is important for communities to lead the HIV response in the country.
He said evidence in the last 40 years has shown the effectiveness of community-led response to HIV, adding that is why the theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is dedicated to the community.
He said the UN joint team in the country comprising 11 agencies has a joint plan to support the AIDS response from 2024 to 2025 and has mobilised $800, 000 to achieve that.