Health experts seek better solutions to improving HIV prevention, reduce new infections

Health experts are seeking better solutions to improving HIV prevention through innovation and community engagement.

This formed the crux of discussions at a two-day inaugural 2024 HIV prevention conference organised by the national agency for the control of aids, in Abuja.

There is no doubt Nigeria has made some progress in shaping its response and strategies to address the HIV/ Aids epidemic in the country, but experts believe this progress is slow

while about 11 countries on the African continent have already achieved 66 percent of HIV infection reduction rate, Nigeria stands at just 9 percent.

This issue and others on how to end stigmatisation, improved funding, innovation and community engagement are all on the front burner of discussions here at the first ever 2024 HIV prevention conference.

Speakers at the conference want an expansion of the choices for HIV prevention methods, stressing that prevention is a more cost-effective approach of managing and curbing HIV infections in the country.

Funding continues to be one of the major challenges in the push to accelerate prevention, but experts believe a collective approach through engaging the sub national levels will go a long way to achieve the 2025 target for reducing new HIV infections.