ABUJA, NIGERIA – As the countdown to World AIDS Day on December 1, 2025, begins, the World Health Organisation (WHO) don dey sound serious alarm for African governments. Dem urge dem to step up effort wey go fit help end AIDS for di continent. Why? Because recent funding reductions fit carry plenty gains wey don take time to build, throway dem into gutter!
For im message wey dem belch out for dis year’s World AIDS Day, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, di WHO Regional Director for Africa, talk say di theme of dis year, “Overcoming Disruption: Transforming the AIDS Response,” no be joke, e dey touch where e concern. Im explain say di global pullback for HIV funding don come as wahala, making am more urgent to protect di lives wey dey hang for di balance.
“We don see better progress over di past decade; new HIV cases and AIDS-related deaths don drop by more than half since 2010. Dis no be small matter!” Dr. Janabi gushed. But despite di shine, e warn say dem need to transform di HIV response into something sustainable and locally-driven. In other words, make dem no dey wait for foreign carryovers, ehn!
He also mentioned say innovation fit help transform dis fight. One such innovation, Lenacapavir, na long-acting HIV prevention drug wey only need two injections every year. South Africa don already license am for use, and Dr. Janabi dey hop say others go follow suit quick, quick.
No be all sunshine as e dey look. Misinformation dey hold ground for COVID-19 times, come dey create barriers wey fit block efforts to end AIDS. Dr. Janabi say, “Community-driven efforts don show how local power fit sustain progress, even when wahala dey.” Youth networks don take up social media and radio to push verified info and keep people informed about treatment adherence, even when e no easy.
“But make we no lie, di gains wey we don get still dey fragile, and we need to fortify dem!” Dr. Janabi dey shout. Di WHO dey emphasize say Africa gots to increase investment for health systems and strong financing mechanisms to ensure say dem fit sustain all di advances wey don dey happen.
He conclude say human rights must dey at di center of di HIV response. “If we want go fast, we fit go alone. But if we want go far, we gots to go together,” he quipped with one African proverb wey everybody sabi. Together, we fit carry di hope wey fit end AIDS once and for all! So, na so e be my padi, no forget your HIV test o, better safe than sorry!
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