TheCable

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.

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.

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.