By Bulus Bala. Izang, TQM reporter JOS.
The 2020 World Aids Day was marked in Jos, the Plateau State capital. The event which started with a Road walk from Fototek Round about, through Murtala Mohammed Way to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) old site by 8:00am.
In 1988, The United Nations through one of its agency, World Health Organization (WHO), set aside the 1st of December every year to globally direct public attention towards creating awareness on HIV/AIDS and its effects on the general population and the economy.
This year’s 2020 Global theme Is, “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility ” also have a Nigerian theme as, United to end Aids in the midst of Covid-19.
In a the celebration which held at APIN Conference Hall, JUTH old side, The Representative of The Executive Director, Plateau Aids Control Agency (PLACA), Sunday Markus Kola, in his address said that the Nigerian theme is very relevant because COVID-19 pandemic has posed a serious threat to HIV/AIDS interventions globally. The pandemic has shifted the worlds attention to COVID-19 and the global lockdown and other measures towards its containment have negatively affected HIV/AIDS services and visits to medical facilities by people living with HIV /AIDS for uptake of anti retroviral therapy (ART), prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT), and HIV testing Services (HTS). Which are key to HIV /AIDS prevention and control.
The Executive Director of (PLACA), speaking further said that, while knowing ones HIV status is very relevant, it is also important to mainstream COVID-19 response into HIV/AIDS interventions because, those living with HIV are more vulnerable to COVID-19 because of devastated body immunity.
He said, The Federal Government of Nigeria is making effort towards that direction as presently, a nationwide HIV /AIDS state strategic plan development workshops are ongoing across the 36 states and the FCT at the instance of the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) with COVID-19 as one of the cross cutting issue in the HIV/AIDS response in the country to be addressed and enshrined in the proposed document.
The Executive Director of PLACA, went on to give Plateau HIV/AIDS situation based on zero prevalence survey among the pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Nigeria, and National Aids indicator impact Survey (NAIIS) conducted by FMOH between 2008 – 2018, shows thus, 2007 – 2.6%, 2010 – 7.7%., 2012 – 6.3% , 2014 – 5.9%., and 2018 – 1.6%.
The guest speaker at the occasion, Dr. Nathan Shehu, ( Consultant Physician, JUTH) in his lecture , gave some of the impact of COVID-19 on HIV as,
* It has disrupted HIV care service, and
* It has borrowed health manpower, care framework, drugs, structures and facilities from HIV.
While, The Impact of HIV on COVID-19, he mentioned as,
* HIV appears to be resilient to COVID-19, and
* The congregate settings in HIV care outlet posed a significant threat to transmission.
Dr. Shehu gave a call to action :
+ To ensure essential HIV services are maintained in the community.
+ Support community health workers to provide HIV services to everyone in the community.
+ Combat stigma and discrimination to ensure that, everyone feels safe to access HIV services.
+ Reach out to key and vulnerable populations and assist them to access HIV services when needed, and
+ Ensure that children, pregnant women and infants received adequate care that incorporate HIV.
In an interview with TQM. Dr. Innocent Emmanuel. Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, Plateau State Chapter and a Senior lecturer with the University of Jos said that though Persons with Disabilities have been left unattended to in the passed, but gradually, they are being incorporated actively into community daily life. He said, his Association is not leaving Persons with Disabilities behind. NMA is ensuring that no one is left behind on the basis of status, be it social, economical, physical, religious, etc. And people with disabilities are not exempted.
He assured that they will continue to engage every partner to ensure that persons with disabilities (PWDs) are in the fore front of every level of human life, even as it relate to HIV/AIDS and COVID-19, be it at the prevention, the pretesting, the treatment and the the palliative care.
In another interview with TQM, Rev. Chris Damcher, The State coordinator, Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Plateau state Chapter, and the Chairman Planning Committee, World AIDS Day 2020. He said that they are looking forward to next year to have a venue that will be accessible to all persons, including wheelchair users.
NEPHWAN, in a goodwill massage, through Madam Talatu, thanked their various partners for their support, particularly mentioning Voice Nigeria and The Qualitative Magazine, among others, hoping they will continue to support and partnering with NEPHWAN in the campaign to attained zero HIV infection.
Others who gave their goodwill massage included,
* Tear Fund
* NMA
* FHI 360
* APIN
* PLAASCHEMA. The celebration also featured,
= The presentation of Award of Honor.
= counselling
= HIV testing and
= TV Talk show.Some pictures of the event
Madam Talatu of
NEPHWAN at world AIDS.
During goodwill massage.Dr. Nathan Shehu Speaker at the world Aids Day. During his lecture.Dr. Innocent Emmanuel.
Chairman NMA, Plateau stateRev. Chris Damcher. Chairman CSHAN and planning Committee world AIDS day 
The Representative of
The Executive Director,
PLACA
