HIV Epidemic is a deadly disease if not treated, might lead to loss of life. Nigeria has the second largest number of people living with HIV. This epidemic varies widely and is common among young people between the ages of 15-45 and more predominate among sex workers. Youth and young adults in Nigeria are particularly vulnerable to HIV, with young women at higher risk than young men. There are many risk factors that contribute to the spread of HIVwhich includes prostitution, sharing of blades, high related sexually transmitted diseases and a host of others.
Many years back, the federal ministry of health stood its ground to fight the menace by establishing a special department called national Action Committee on HIV/AIDS which also mandated all the State Ministry of health to have state action committee on HIV/AIDS to launch various advocacy on how to curb the spread. Late 2016, there was vigorous campaign on use of condom to prevent HIV/AIDS and many non-governmental organisation also joined in the advocacy.
Since then, activities on HIV advocacy had been at its lowest ebb while departments saddled with the responsibility have been idle for quite sometimes due to the government uncaring attitude to curbing the menace.
In most countries of the word, PrEP drug had been introduced as a pre and post drug in order to avoid contracting HIV from sexual partners. In Nigeria, Prep is visible but with small presence while there is still need for an operation scale up prep has proposed by Tosin Adesile, founder of Africa Youth Circle and Current Secretary, National Youth network on HIV/AIDS, Ogun State branch.
It is my opinion that governments at all level will awake from its slumber and link up with international partners to get Nigeria away from the second positions of countries with the highest number of people with HIV and advance to safe health regions.