The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has reaffirmed his commitment to eradicating mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS in Ekiti through strategic collaboration with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and other key stakeholders in the health sector. Governor Oyebanji aims to ensure that no child is born with the virus and to continue lowering the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the state.Governor Oyebanji made this announcement on Monday evening while hosting Dr. Temitope Ilori, the Director-General of NACA, and her team during a courtesy visit to his office in Ado-Ekiti. He underscored his administration’s dedication to being intentional and proactive in addressing mother-to-child transmission, highlighting it as an essential step in reducing infection rates among newborns.The Governor shared that Ekiti State has made significant strides in managing the HIV/AIDS pandemic, with a commitment to enhancing healthcare facilities and resources across the state. He emphasized, “The rate of mother-to-child transmission must be closely monitored. We will do whatever is needed to keep our people healthy and protect unborn children from contracting this disease.”Further, Governor Oyebanji pledged to revitalize the Local Action Committee on AIDS (LACA) at the local government level. As part of this initiative, HIV Testing Services will be established in all 16 local government areas, promoting prevention, treatment, and support services at the grassroots level.Dr. Temitope Ilori, the Director-General of NACA, expressed concerns over the significant number of children born with HIV in Nigeria and the urgent need to end pediatric HIV nationwide. She noted that, despite extensive resources allocated to combating HIV/AIDS, Nigeria still represents about 25% of the global population of children born with HIV. Dr. Ilori commended Ekiti State for recording Nigeria’s lowest HIV prevalence and called for further engagement with religious leaders, traditional authorities, and media channels to intensify efforts against the virus.Also present at the meeting were Dr. Habibat Adubiaro, the Secretary to the State Government; Dr. Oyebanji Filani, Commissioner for Health and Human Services; and various officials from NACA and the State AIDS Control Agency (SACA).
