The joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) says Nigeria is on track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Bilali Camara made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said: “It does not mean that it has ended; it also doesn’t mean that we have the final victory but it means that we are on the right track.

“It is due to the efforts of the Nigerian government and its partners in the fight to end HIV/AIDS scourge in the country.

“The technical support from PEPFER, the Global fund and the United Nations family immensely assist Nigeria in decisions making and policy implementation on ending the HIV/AIDS scourge.”

Camara said that testing sites has also increased from 1,000 in 2010 to 8,000 in 2014, this is sending good signal to ending AIDS in 2030.

He said testing is a point of entry for anything one is going to do in ending the disease.

Camara said the number of people tested had also appreciated, adding that in 2010; only 1.4 million people were tested, while between 2011 and 2014 no fewer than 16 million people were tested.

“This means that Nigerians are taking the test and considering it as an important public health challenge.

“In between 2010 and 2014 no fewer than three million pregnant women were tested and know their HIV status.

“The pregnant women are considered very important due to prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV.”

According to Camara, in 2000 the MDG 6 was developed, and aimed at addressing HIV/AIDS, Tuberculoses (TB) and Malaria often referred to as ATM.

“MDG six was looking at those diseases which are impacting on Africa and many parts of the world.

“HIV/AIDS has been disturbing us in Africa, so also TB and Malaria are our major problems.

“We have mobilised the world on the ATM, the goal on halting the spread of HIV/AIDS has been achieved nine months before the target.

“The success story and how it came to be achieved came from African countries, among them is Nigeria.”

NAN also reports that report released by UNAIDS in July 2015, said that the goal of 15 million people on life-saving HIV treatment by 2015 has been met nine months ahead of schedule.

The report said the world has exceeded the AIDS targets of MDG six and is on track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. (NAN)

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