Ogah asserted that supporting the HIV community is the minimum expected from lawmakers.
Hon Amobi Ogah, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria (ATM) Control, has pledged the complete activation of the HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act (2014) to combat workplace discrimination.
The World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1, serves as a global initiative to raise awareness about the AIDS pandemic caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Ogah made the assurance in Abuja, Following an awareness walk organised by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) to commemorate the 2023 World AIDS Day (WAD), stating the commitment to eradicate discrimination faced by people living with HIV/AIDS.
The theme for the 2023 global celebration, “Let Communities Lead,” has been localised in Nigeria as “Communities’ Leadership to End AIDS by 2030.”
Ogah, while addressing the gathering, asserted that supporting the HIV community is the minimum expected from lawmakers.
“The Act makes it illegal to discriminate against people based on their HIV status and prohibits employers, individuals, or organisations from requiring an HIV test as a precondition for employment or access to services,” Ogah affirmed.
He further reassured Nigerians and the global community, especially those living with HIV/AIDS, of the unwavering commitment of the legislative body to combat the harmful stigma and discrimination hindering their potential.
The Chairman outlined the importance of the HIV/AIDS Anti-discrimination Act 2014, emphasising its role in creating an operational environment aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to end AIDS and tuberculosis by 2030.
Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF’s Country Programme Director, highlighted the global significance of WAD as a unifying event.
He urged global leaders to prioritise HIV on the health agenda, ensuring the availability of resources and empowering communities to lead the fight against the virus.
Egeonu Benedict, State Clinical Coordinator for AHF Abuja, shared the foundation’s focus on providing cutting-edge medicine for individuals living with HIV/AIDS, irrespective of their financial capacity.
Benedict reiterated the foundation’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for those affected and expressed optimism in achieving the United Nations’ 95-95-95 strategy goals, aiming to provide access to treatment for everyone with the virus and ultimately eradicating HIV in Nigeria by 2030.
