By Sola Ogundipe

The UNAIDS Country Director in Nigeria, Dr. Erasmus U. Morah, has presented his Letter of Commission to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja.

Before his appointment, Morah a Canadian of Nigerian origin, was the UNAIDS Country Director in South Africa from 2014 to June 2017, and previously in UNAIDS Headquarters in Geneva, first as Chief for Country and Regional Support Division (2010-2012), and then Chief for Programme Planning, Budget and Performance Measurement Division (2012-2014).

He has an international career spanning three decades of service to the United Nations country and headquarters operations in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

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“I was Country Director in South Africa when we supported the Government to apply for, and secure, the DREAMS proposal and launch the initiative.

We also supported the South African Government to develop and launch the National Young Women and Girls HIV Prevention Campaign (SheConquers) which, combined with the DREAMS initiative, is now shown to be having a positive impact on reducing new infections,” he noted.

He acknowledged the support of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in rebasing the HIV epidemic and committing to increased domestic resources for treating at least 50,000 Nigerians living with HIV yearly.

Morh assured that UNAIDS remains fully committed to working with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, the Federal Ministry of Health, donors (particularly the US Government and the Global Fund), the networks of people living with HIV and civil society allies in ending AIDS, in Nigeria, as a public health threat by 2030.

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