The APIN Public Health Initiatives, a non-governmental organisation committed to fighting the HIV/AIDS scourge in Nigeria, will hold a public presentation of its new book, “Turning the Tide: AIDS in Nigeria”.
The launch, scheduled to hold in Abuja on April 11, is to underscore the organisation’s success in the fight against HIV/AIDS and contributions to public health in the country in the last 13 years.
Prosper Okonkwo, APIN chief executive officer, told journalists that the book presentation is not just a major milestone in the history of the organisation, but a demonstration of its success in its mandate to stem the tide of HIV/AIDS in the country.
He explained that the presentation was coming after the release of the National AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) by President Muhammadu Buhari last month.
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The report showed that the HIV/AIDS prevalence index had dropped from 3.1 in 100 to 1.4 in 100.
Okonkwo said the HIV/AIDS scourge had evolved from state of denial to quality and comprehensive treatment and prevention.
“The HIV/AIDS response in Nigeria has evolved from a stage of denial and complacency, through the establishment and implementation of multisectoral response, to the current state of scale-up of quality comprehensive prevention, care and treatment programs for infected and affected persons in Nigeria,” Okonkwo said.
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He added that the gains of this enhanced and focused HIV/AIDS programming were evidenced in the recently released reports of the last National AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), which showed marked reduction in both prevalence and burden of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
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