(DDM) – The growing burden of HIV in Nigeria resurfaced sharply on Monday as fresh disclosures from Anambra and Plateau states painted a worrying picture of rising infections, silent stigma, and persistent fear surrounding HIV testing across the country.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that health authorities, development partners, and advocacy groups used the 2025 World AIDS Day events to highlight the widening gaps in early detection, community awareness, domestic funding, and support for people living with the virus.
The latest developments emerged from Awka and Jos, where state officials and public health advocates released data that underscored the urgency of renewed political commitment and community-driven intervention.
World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1, began globally in 1988 as a public health movement aimed at promoting awareness, strengthening international cooperation, and developing human-rights-driven strategies to end the epidemic.
This year’s theme, “Overcoming Disruption: Transforming the AIDS Response,” reflects a growing concern that progress could stall if governments fail to invest sustainably in prevention, testing, and treatment.
The wife of the Anambra State Governor, Dr. Nonye Soludo, used the event in Awka to urge Nigerians to overcome the fear of HIV testing, describing early detection as the backbone of prevention and treatment.
She warned that many Nigerians still avoid testing due to misinformation, cultural stigma, and fear of discrimination, factors that continue to fuel silent transmission.
Soludo, who also leads the Healthy Living Initiative, said defeating the phobia surrounding HIV testing must become a national priority.
She explained that early testing improves the chances of managing the virus, enabling affected individuals to maintain healthy, productive lives.
She added that HIV is not a curse, punishment, or death sentence, stressing that people living with the virus deserve compassion, dignity, and full social inclusion.
Meanwhile, a separate report from Plateau State revealed a more alarming trend.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Nicholas Ba’amlong, announced that 2,786 new HIV cases were recorded in 2024, while 460 people living with the virus died within the same period.
He stated that as of September 2025, 51,370 people were living with HIV across the state, including 14,001 males and 33,055 females.
Ba’amlong added that more than 47,000 adults and 1,835 children are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy as part of ongoing efforts to suppress viral loads and prevent further transmission.
He disclosed that 98,403 people were screened between January and September 2025, with 1,910 testing positive.
According to him, progress has been made in preventing mother-to-child transmission, with 30,743 pregnant women tested and 39 positive mothers linked to care.
He commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang for approving funds used to procure HIV dual test kits now distributed to over 900 health facilities.
The Plateau AIDS Control Agency (PLACA) Executive Director, Esther Turaki, added that the state has achieved a 92 percent viral load suppression rate, crediting innovative financing mechanisms under the Domestic Resource Mobilisation and Sustainability Strategy.
Health advocate Chris Isichei, in his keynote address, urged governments to reduce reliance on donor support and create a dedicated HIV funding bank, warning that global donors are gradually scaling down assistance.
Experts say both reports reflect Nigeria’s broader challenge: low testing rates, high stigma levels, underfunded interventions, and reliance on external support.
They further warn that unless state governments embrace community-driven strategies, expand insurance coverage, and invest in research, the nation risks reversing years of progress in its HIV response.
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