Expert Hinges HIV/AIDS Containment On Countries’ Health Systems

Towards checking the trend of HIV/AIDS, particularly Mother-To-Child Transmission (MTCT), an expert in HIV, Dr. Olugbenga Ijaodola, has identified health systems operated by countries as major factor.

Dr. Ijaodola, who made this disclosure at an ongoing three-day media dialogue to reinvigorate and produce a workplan for members of the Journalists Alliance for the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, noted that everything that can be done is dependent on the system.

Ijaodola, who is the PMTCT Lead, National AIDS and Sexually Transmited Infections (STIs) Control Programme (NASCP), in the Federal Ministry of Health, explained that this is why challenges caused by such barriers are approached accordingly.

“One thing we have noticed is that HIV/AIDS intervention cannot stand on its own. It also depends on the health system of any particular country”, he said.

The Assistant Director at NASCP explained that no matter the challenges in Nigeria, plans are made to ensure that pregnant women are able to have access to health facilities, and all of them are tested.

“Those we find positive we are able to link them up and put them on treatment, and even encourage them to deliver in the facilities, so that we can have access the babies for Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) services”, he said.

He, therefore, called on all participating Journalists at the media dialogue, as key stakeholders, to carry the message of the need for all pregnant women to access health care facilities where they can have HIV/AIDS intervention services.

“Definitely we know that there are challenges that goes along with the health care system. That will not stop us from what we believe is the right thing to do to push this forward.

“The way we are looking at it now, is to continuously collectively agree to do this together. I can assure you that if we do this, we are going to change the narrative concerning the coverage across board of PMTCT in Nigeria, and then we can start talking about the process towards elimination of MTCT”, he said.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo