The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the ‘Free to Shine’ campaign, a national effort designed to reduce new HIV infections among women of childbearing age and prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child.
At the official launch of the ‘Free to Shine’ campaign in Kaduna on Tuesday, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, stressed the crucial nature of the initiative, emphasizing that Nigeria carries the largest burden of HIV/AIDS in the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region.
She emphasized that the primary goal of the ‘Free to Shine’ campaign is to ensure that every child born with HIV receives the necessary medical treatment and support to overcome the disease and flourish.
Nigeria is the country with the highest burden of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa due to its large population. This burden is particularly severe among children, youth, women, and marginalized groups.
She said, “The goal of the ‘Free to Shine’ campaign is to raise awareness, renew our commitment, and take collective action against HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and hepatitis. We must deepen engagement with traditional and faith-based institutions to address cultural and religious influences on HIV prevention behaviours.”
Citing alarming statistics from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the First Lady expressed deep concern over the large number of children and adults living with HIV in Nigeria.
In her words, “In 2024, there were over 100,000 children and nearly two million adults living with HIV. It is also reported that most infants born to HIV-positive mothers are not tested within the first two months of birth, largely because the mothers are either unaware or ignorant of the consequences of their inaction.
She also leveraged the ‘Free to Shine’ campaign launch to call for the elimination of HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and hepatitis by 2030.
“I have also decided to advocate for the triple elimination of HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and hepatitis by 2030. This campaign will cover all six geopolitical zones of the nation,” she stated.
