As Nigeria marks Children’s Day 2025, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has urged stakeholders to intensify efforts to stop mother-to-child transmission of HIV and protect the health and future of Nigerian children.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, NACA’s Director General, Dr. Temitope Ilori, emphasized that every child deserves a healthy start to life. She highlighted that despite progress, thousands of Nigerian children are still born with HIV each year — a tragedy that remains preventable.
Ilori stressed the importance of Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services, calling them one of the most effective tools to end pediatric HIV and ensure that no child is born with the virus.
“Children’s Day reminds us to do everything in our power to safeguard the next generation,” Ilori said. “We must ensure that every pregnant woman accesses early HIV testing, receives treatment if positive, and gets continuous care throughout pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding.”
She noted that although Nigeria has expanded PMTCT services in recent years, gaps persist, especially due to stigma and discrimination that deter women from seeking care.
Ilori called on healthcare providers to deliver quality, respectful care, urged community and faith-based organizations to raise awareness and combat stigma, and encouraged families and caregivers to support women in accessing and adhering to treatment.
“Let’s celebrate our children by protecting their right to be born free of HIV,” she added.
In February, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, launched the nationwide ‘Free to Shine’ campaign under the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development. The campaign aims to reduce new HIV infections among women of reproductive age and prevent mother-to-child transmission.
During the campaign’s flag-off in the North-West zone in Kaduna, Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s heavy HIV/AIDS burden — the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. She stated that the campaign seeks to ensure that children born with HIV receive the necessary treatment and support to thrive.
Tinubu also voiced concern over the number of Nigerians living with HIV. Citing Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare statistics, she revealed that in 2024, over 100,000 children and nearly two million adults lived with the virus. She added that most infants born to HIV-positive mothers are not tested within two months of birth, often because their mothers are unaware of the risks or lack information.
