Health experts are seeking a sustained investment in response to HIV/AIDS amid the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure the sustainability of previous gains made in the fight against the virus.
The experts who spoke at the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA) virtual event themed ‘Accelerating the Impact of AIDS Response in the New Normal’ to commemorate the 2021 World Health Day.
The virtual conference created awareness on the need for continued investment in HIV/AIDS response despite the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that gains made in the fight against HIV pre-COVID-19 were not lost.
Zouera Youssoufou, managing director and CEO of the Aliko Dangote Foundation while delivering the keynote address, spoke on the need for continued investment in the HIV response despite the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure past gains are not lost.
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She also said that the need to end the stigma connected to HIV/AIDS is key to ending HIV.
In the same vein, Isaiah Owolabi, CEO of NiBUCAA, highlighted the need for both the public and private sectors to work together to end HIV and AIDS while giving his welcome note at the webinar.
“Just like COVID-19, HIV and AIDS directly impact the development of nations. HIV AIDS is not just a health issue; it is a development and economic challenge,” Owolabi said.
He also spoke on that in line with this year’s World Health Day theme of a Fairer Healthier World; we need to reduce inequalities that continue to drive HIV and AIDS in our communities.
Speaking also, Tope Adeniyi spoke on the need for investment in healthcare, especially health insurance, to ensure a fairer, healthier world.
In his submission, he said, “We need to make sure everyone has health insurance and that HIV is covered for everyone to ensure that everyone has access to HIV testing and treatment.”
Dr. Akinwumi Fajola, one of the panellists who extensively spoke on scaling up effective interventions for HIV/AIDS in the new normal, said it takes collective efforts to bring HIV/AIDS prevalence to zero.
He also talked about how supporting HIV services and ensuring HIV is managed and contained helps increased productivity in the private sector as much more will be achieved when workers are healthy with no sickness absences.
The final speaker, Dr. Okuns Ohiosimuan, elucidated on maximizing the role of strategic partnerships in HIV/AIDS Response, he added that there has to be a clear and coordinated leadership across sectors to lead the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“While we need to focus on rendering people into a non-transmissible state, no aspect of HIV management and prevention is less than the other, education is important and data has to be shared,” he said.
The event also featured a live Q and A session where attendees at the webinar engaged the panellists.
This World Health Day webinar by NIBUCAA brought together Sustainability, CSR, and health leaders in private sectors, Finance managers and directors, CEOs, government officials, civil society leaders, and representatives from donor agencies and diplomatic missions to foster conversation and share information on leveraging partnerships, mobilizing resources and integrating the new normal into implementing high impact HIV interventions in Nigeria.
