Addressing the governors’ wives on Thursday in a statement signed by her SA Media, Busola Kukoyi, Senator Tinubu noted that it has become imperative for the forum to be held so that she can update them on issues especially as they affect the Nation.

“In recent times, I have been sharing experiences from the First Ladies of other nations to help me position myself appropriately for the task ahead. Some of the things I discovered were that HIV/AIDS is still very prevalent in Nigeria”.

“Estimates from the 2023 Spectrum by the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey, there are about 1.98 million persons living with HIV/AIDS in the country. Adults aged 15 years and above make up about 1.8 million People Living with HIV (PLWHIV), of which 1.1 million are adult women. Equally, 1 in 7 babies born in the world is a Nigerian Child, underscoring the significance of the nation’s role in the global fight against AIDS. Children contribute 23% of new HIV infections in Nigeria, almost four times more than the 8% contribution of key populations, this is according to the Mode of Transmission Study. These statistics are alarming, embarrassing, and unacceptable”.

The First Lady reiterated that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR has set machinery in motion to ensure that a lasting legacy is left behind for generations and those yet unborn.

She says she will work along with wives of Governors to complement the President’s efforts by ensuring that a sick generation is not left behind knowing that the children and youth are the most vulnerable where HIV/AIDS are concerned.

“I have got the agreement of the Honourable Minister for Health, Professor Ali Pate on a partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI to increase advocacy on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, also working with all the State First Ladies to ensure that Nigeria achieves an end to HIV/AIDS by the year 2030”.

She emphasised that they must come together with a unifying message to fight the scourge and save the future of the nation.

“We did during the Ebola Virus and COVID-19 pandemic”. Reiterating the theme for the 2023 World AIDS Day “Let Communities Lead” Senator Oluremi Tinubu stated that they will be taking the advocacy to the traditional rulers, religious leaders of various faiths, community leaders, educational institutions, and the nooks and crannies of the nation. “It is a war we can win and we must win”.

“I would be using education as a tool to champion the #we are equal” campaign of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development, OAFLAD aimed at Closing the gender gap in Africa and the “free to shine” campaign of OAFLAD, to address the growing complacency in the response to childhood HIV in Africa, knowing that an educated and well-informed women folk will be able to make informed decisions about GBV, the epidemic, HIV/AIDS and others”.

She used the opportunity of the forum to inform the group of the upcoming Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme, RHIESS which will be held simultaneously in the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory on the 21^st of December, 2023

Two Hundred and Fifty (250) elderly persons would be given the sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira each per state in addition to medical screening and other goodies. Drafts for Twenty Five Million naira were presented to the First Ladies of each state for onward disbursement to the beneficiaries which should have been compiled by the Office of the State First Ladies. (Channels TV)

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