NELA calls for sustainable HIV response in Nigeria
31 January 2007
Key stakeholders in HIV prevention work in Nigeria have been reviewing and consolidating their activities to reinforce a sustainable, community-led response to the epidemic in Nigeria.
Representatives met at a forum organised by the Alliance linking organisation in Nigeria, the Network on Ethics/Human Rights, Law, HIV/AIDS – Prevention, Support and Care (NELA) at the end of 2006 – the latest in NELA’s series of bi-annual stakeholders’ conferences to share lessons learned, best practice, challenges and future plans.
NELA, a key player in the prevention and control of HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, brought together representatives of people living with HIV, international donor agencies and the chairs of the National Action Committee on AIDS and the State Action Committee against AIDS, as well as scientists, programmers, community leaders, health workers and non-governmental organisations. The theme of the forum was HIV/AIDS and the community: the past, present and future.
Key outcomes identified at the forum included the need:
- for community involvement in Nigeria’s national response
- to increase the uptake of voluntary counselling and testing services and to integrate them into the national health care system
- to meaningfully involve people with HIV in community-based work
- to intensify efforts to scale up anti-stigma activities.
Read more about the outcomes of the forum.
