(DDM) – Heartland Alliance has announced that it tested more than 1.3 million Nigerians for HIV in 2025 as part of its expanded campaign for World AIDS Day.
DDM gathered that the organisation described the achievement as a significant step toward identifying undiagnosed infections and linking more citizens to treatment under Nigeria’s national HIV response framework.
The group disclosed that its testing activities covered high-risk communities, rural settlements, internally displaced persons, and underserved urban areas facing persistent obstacles in health-care access.
Heartland Alliance noted that the campaign relied on mobile testing units, community outreach teams, and strengthened partnerships with local health workers across multiple states.
The organisation added that its 2025 milestone aligns with global efforts aimed at achieving the 95-95-95 UNAIDS targets designed to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
The 95-95-95 initiative seeks to ensure that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed receive sustained treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
Nigeria remains one of the countries with the highest HIV burden in sub-Saharan Africa, despite significant progress in reducing transmission rates over the past decade.
Health experts note that early detection continues to be a major challenge due to stigma, misinformation, limited testing centres, and economic hardship in many communities.
Heartland Alliance explained that its campaign was structured to overcome these barriers by offering free testing, counselling, and immediate referral to treatment facilities.
Officials revealed that the organisation deployed hundreds of trained personnel and volunteers to door-to-door screenings, community events, markets, and border communities.
They stressed that women, young people, and high-risk individuals accounted for a large proportion of those screened.
The group also partnered with civil society organisations, religious institutions, and local governments to increase public awareness of safe practices and prevention strategies.
According to the organisation, Nigeria’s HIV response requires continued investment in testing infrastructure, education, and treatment accessibility.
It warned that the country risks losing the progress already made if testing and treatment programmes are not adequately funded in the coming years.
Background reports show that Nigeria’s fight against HIV began intensifying in the early 2000s with international donor support, domestic investment, and nationwide advocacy campaigns.
Experts argue that socio-economic challenges, insecurity in some regions, and cultural barriers continue to limit the effectiveness of national HIV control programmes.
Heartland Alliance insisted that sustained collaboration with government agencies is vital to achieving long-term gains and protecting vulnerable populations.
The group urged Nigerians to take advantage of available testing services, noting that early diagnosis remains the most effective way to reduce HIV-related deaths.
It further reiterated its commitment to expanding coverage, improving public education, and supporting national efforts to eliminate the epidemic.
The 1.3 million figure recorded in 2025 marks one of the largest community-level HIV testing feats by a single organisation in Nigeria’s public-health landscape.
Heartland Alliance concluded that intensified testing remains non-negotiable if the nation hopes to achieve global HIV elimination goals within the decade.