ACTIVE VOICES HOLDS ONE-DAY STAKEHOLDERS MEETING IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS IN NIGERIA
In a bid to contribute to the HIV/AIDs response in Nigeria, Active Voices for Sustainable Development Initiative (Active Voices) with support from Fondation Merieux, France, held a one-day stakeholders meeting on the 22nd of August, 2019 to unveil the Prevention Plus (P+) project and its innovative strategy to relevant stakeholders in Abuja.
Speaking at the event which was held at UN House, the Executive Director of Active Voices, Ms. Chiamaka Uzomba, revealed that the Prevention Plus project seeks to promote Anonymous Partner Notification Service (APNS) as an innovative strategy for identifying new cases of HIV infection in the country as it provides HIV sero-positive clients with an alternative of notifying their sexual partner anonymously. She also stated that the project will contribute to the first 90 of the UNAIDS 90:90:90 fast track target which is by 2020, all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
The Head, HIV Care and Testing (HCT) Department, National AIDS/STDs Control Programme (NASCP), Mrs. Ima John-Dada, stated that the government’s support for programs focused on HIV prevention will extend fully to the Prevention Plus project which she described as innovative.
Meanwhile, Melissa Sobers of UNAIDS in her opening remark, commended the innovative concept of the project and stated the need to encourage and harness the innovativeness of the Nigerian youth. Also, UNAIDS Senior Program Specialist, Dr. Modupe Oduwole, applauded the work being done so far by Active Voices and described the Prevention Plus project as a welcome progress in the innovative trajectory.
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders which cut across government agencies, international organization, Civil Society Organizations as well as Non-Governmental Organizations. The Anonymous Partner Notification portal is scheduled to launch on the 1st of December in commemoration of the World’s AIDS Day.