For Nigeria and most sub-Saharan African countries, the rampaging scourge of the dreaded Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV), which causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), would seem to be in decline, if the two, recent but separate reports on the pandemic are anything to go by. In one of the reports released by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Nigeria is among the countries where the prevalence rate of HIV has either stabilized or is declining. Other West African countries listed under this category are Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali. Also a number of countries in Southern Africa where the prevalence of the disease is higher than in any region of the continent have recorded reduction in the prevalence rates.

The other good news on the war against the HIV/AIDS intended to cut the prevalence rate of the disease in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan Africa is that three United Nations bodies at the recent 17th AIDS conference held in Mexico gave a lifeline of N6 billion ($50 million) to nine countries for the sole purpose of fighting or halting mother-to-child transmission (PMCT). Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Central African Republic, Lesotho and Swaziland are the sub-Saharan countries to benefit from the programme. Other countries are China, Haiti and Myanmar. These nine benefiting countries are said to represent 25 per cent of the global HIV-infected pregnant women who give birth yearly. While the Nigeria’s prevalence rate is hovering around 4 – 5 per cent, that of Swaziland is put at 26 per cent, which is the highest in the world. Like in Nigeria, the prevalence rate in Uganda has stabilized at about 5.4%, while in Zimbabwe, its high prevalence rate of HIV-infected pregnant women dropped from 26 per cent in 2002 to 18 per cent in 2006.

It is heartwarming that six of the nine countries to benefit from the special fund are from sub-Saharan Africa, which account for 67 per cent of all people in the world living with HIV and 75 per cent of AIDS deaths. Nigeria and the other five African countries should therefore be very grateful to the three UN organizations – the International Facility for the Purchase of drugs against HIV/AIDS, malaria and Tuberculosis, the United Nations International Children Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organisation (WHO), for providing the N6 billion fund to halt the transmission of HIV from mother-to-child. And one sure way to maximize the fund is for the benefiting countries to ensure judicious use of the money which is expected to be used for the next two years to test no less than ten million pregnant women for HIV as well as treat about 285,000 mothers and children. Towards this end Nigeria should constitute a special organ through NACA to ensure the availability of a children’s version of AIDS drugs in addition to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS programme already being operated. Nigeria and the other benefiting countries cannot afford to waste this opportunity and the money being provided by the UN bodies.

HIV/AIDS has wreaked havoc on the general economies of sub-Saharan Africa as most of those infected are those in the productive age groups. From the agricultural to the industrial sectors, output have declined one way or the other because the youths involved in these sectors are either too weak to put in their best or are dying in large numbers, leaving farming communities and industries crippled by severe shortage of the much needed manpower to work on the land or in the factories.

There is no gainsaying the fact that human capital is the most elements in development. This is why countries such as China, Japan and India, even though lacking natural resources such as oil and other minerals, are today economically advanced due to huge investment in human capital and the overall protection and promotion of the welfare of their citizens. Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries should therefore do all they can to improve the quality of the lives of their citizens, including taking measures to halt the spread of the deadly HIV/AIDS, which today has become a major threat to the lives of the citizens and the economies of the affected countries.

We also wish to implore the affected countries to step up sensitization campaigns against HIV/AIDS. Apart from using the conventional media like television, radio and newspapers, our churches and mosques should also be fully involved in the campaigns, especially in remote settlements where some of the inhabitants still attribute every ailment that befall them to some supernatural powers. Government should empower all Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) concerned with HIV/AIDS campaigns to establish functional offices in rural areas, to take the campaign to every household in the country. If this is done effectively, the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS would come down drastically.

HIV/AIDS is a threat to the human race, especially the black world and therefore everything possible should be done to eradicate it. With the right planning, judicious use of all available resources, placing more emphasis on prevention and commitment from all, the goal of checkmating this dreaded disease can be achieved in not the too distant future.