The Federal Government has begun offering People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) access to free annual liver and kidney function tests through expanded health insurance coverage, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, announced on Monday.
Salako made the disclosure during the 2025 World AIDS Day commemoration in Abuja, organised by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and partners under the theme, “Overcoming disruption: Sustaining Nigeria’s HIV response.” World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1, raises awareness about HIV/AIDS, promotes global solidarity, and tracks progress toward ending the epidemic.
The minister explained that the government is moving toward full integration of HIV, TB, malaria, nutrition, and the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme, enabling access to multiple essential services in a single visit. He added that the consent age for voluntary HIV counselling and testing was recently reduced from 18 to 14 years, increasing testing rates among adolescents and facilitating earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Salako also highlighted the institutionalisation of the National Clinical Mentorship Programme to strengthen retention in care for PLHIV, urging states to integrate clinical mentorship activities into their operational plans and budgets.
“The integrated approach will ensure that children and adolescents can access multiple essential services during a single visit, thereby improving health outcomes,” Salako said. He called on stakeholders—including states, partners, civil society, communities, and the private sector—to collaborate, scale innovation, and accelerate progress toward Nigeria’s 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.
NACA Director-General, Dr. Temitope Ilori, noted that despite global disruptions, Nigeria is on track to achieve the 95–95–95 global HIV targets, with 87 per cent of PLHIV aware of their status, 98 per cent of those on treatment, and 95 per cent achieving viral suppression. She added that new HIV infections have declined by 46 per cent over the last decade, and more Nigerians are enrolled and retained in care than ever before.
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Abdulkadiri Ibrahim, President of the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, called for increased domestic HIV funding and highlighted the need to strengthen prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), community engagement, adherence counselling, psychosocial support, and viral load testing.
UN Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, emphasised the importance of domestic financing, human rights protection, community empowerment, and a resilient health system to expand equitable access to care.
“Together, we will sustain the response. Together, we will overcome distractions. Together, we will build a future where every person can live with health, dignity, and hope,” she said.