By Chioma Obinna
AS Nigeria joins the rest of the world tomorrow to mark this year’s World AIDS Day, a non-governmental organisation, the Youth Development and Empowerment Foundation (YODEF), has advocated special focus on young people as more than half of new infection are between 15 and 29 years of age.

According to YODEF, in spite of the series of policies developed by the Nigeria government aimed at combating the spread of HIV and AIDS,  there has been little concern or no attention on young people, adding that to halt the spread of HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, there must be special focus on young people.

In a statement to mark this year’s event, National Coordinator of the YODEF, Mr. Uche Udungwor,  acknowledged that the Nigerian government and its agencies had put up policies regarding HIV and AIDS prevention, care, support and rights. He said but such policies as the National Policy on HIV and AIDS of 2003 gave little concern to youths and that the National Youth Agenda of 2004 intentionally excluded Sexual Reproductive Health services (SRH) and HIV and AIDS issues.

He further stated that the youths, especially those living with HIV and AIDS, were not involved in the development process of government polices.