IWD 2024: Women Top Population Of Nigerians With HIV

In commemoration of the March 8, 2024, International Women’s Day (IWD), the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Gambo Aliyu, has decried the high population of women living with HIV in the country.

According to him, six out of ten persons living with HIV in the country are females.

Earlier, NACA said an estimated 1.8 million persons are living with HIV in Nigeria, out of which about 1.63 million are already on the lifesaving medication of Antiretroviral Therapy.

Aliyu, in a statement on Tuesday, noted that young Nigerian women are three times more likely to be living with HIV than men while calling for a stringent adaptation of the United Nations 2024 IWD theme, ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress.’

Aliyu said, “This year’s theme, ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress’ resonates deeply with NACA’s commitment to advancing gender equality and addressing unique challenges faced by women living with HIV/AIDS.

“Young women living in Nigeria are three times more likely to be living with HIV than men of the same age group.

“Six out of 10 persons living with HIV in the country are females, emphasizing the need to invest in women.

“Investing in women is not just a financial commitment; it’s an investment in the sustainable progress of our societies, when we empower women, we create a transformative effect that positively impacts families, communities, and the nation as a whole.”