By Victoria Ojeme
Another year has come, when global attention would be focused on one of the world’s medical challenges, that is, the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus, HIV, which leads to the Acquired Immune deficiency Syndrome, AIDS, as the world marks its day tomorrow, Monday November 31, 2011.

For many capitals across the world, it world provide another opportunity for stock taking on how public and private institutions have collectively played their role in the battle to roll back the menace of HIV/AIDS, that is unarguably one of the world’s worst threat against human existence.

Latest report indicates that sub-saharan African has continued to witness a rise in new infection, while the developed economies have been able to substantially reduce the rate of new infections.

With about 4 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, one of the highest indices in sub-saharan Africa, the country’s institutional response platform, the National Action Committee on Aids, NACA, is bound to come under focus.

NACA has over the years led institutional response in providing the frame work for national strategic response to the scourge of the disease in Nigeria.

NACA, therefore, provides the mirror through which Nigeria’s response to the many dimensions of tackling HIV/AIDS can be assessed, from its response to dealing with People Living With HIV/AIDS(PLWHA), as well to measures to check the further spread of the disease.

In his overview of both national and global response to the disease, NACA Director General, Dr John Idoko, said, “Significant progress has been made since Declaration of Universal Access in 2005. The percentage of the world’s adult population living with HIV has leveled off; 20 times more people have access to life-saving treatment. Five million people receiving ART in resource limited countries. Price of drug has dropped and they have become more potent, less toxic and more convenient and hence patients are adhering better” he added.

Inspite of this cheering news, Idoko admits that there is a rising cost to national human capital, among other negative indices.

The NACA helmsman regrets that, “The number of people living with HIV (PLWH) is decreasing because of new infections”.

Current statistics on the number of PLWHA world wide now stands at 33 million with 15.2 million Children estimated to have been orphaned as a result of AIDS.

To reverse this current trend, at the national level, the Universal Declaration of Access in 2005, seeks to, among others, “halt and reverse the spread of HIV by 2015 and in so doing also contribute to the developmental goals of the nation including vision 20/20/20.

Barely three years from this timeline, Idoko believes it is achievable, with the provision of Universal Access to comprehensive HIV Prevention, treatment, care and support programs.

“We believe that greater focus on HIV prevention is our best hope and that effective strategies must be built on a detailed knowledge of the current epidemic – including what drives it and its likely future progression. But we must also sustain the momentum in AIDS treatment and do more to support the needs to adults and children living with and affected by HIV” he declared.

Another component of the Universal Access is the elimination of stigma against those affected by achieving change in human attitudes and behaviour that ensures that HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services reach all who need them.

The NACA DG, explained further that, “HIV can affect anyone, but certain groups are more affected, including women, young people, children, sex workers, MSM, IDU, prisoners and migrants. These groups are often most neglected in the AIDS response. We will ensure that those most affected by HIV can access quality services.

Idoko however lamented the undue “feminization” of the epidemic, especially in Nigeria and other countries in sub-Sahara Africa.

He insisted that, “addressing gender inequality and harmful gender norms is therefore vital to reversing the spread of HIV Stigma and discrimination toward PLWH and vulnerable groups”.