..says Ondo State HIV Response Weakens Amid Funding Crisis

By Mary Agidi

As the World AIDS Day is being observed today, the Ondo State Coordinator of the Network of People Living with HIV (NEPWHAN), Prince Aladelusi Adesina, has implored individuals diagnosed with HIV not to view it as a death sentence, emphasizing the importance of first overcoming self-stigma.

Aladelusi, who disclosed that he has been living with the infection for over 35 years, stressed the need for People Living with HIV (PLWH) to prioritize regular and appropriate intake of their medications. He affirmed that by doing so, coupled with overcoming self-stigmatization, they can lead healthier lives and avoid medical emergencies.

In an exclusive interview with a JATS correspondent about NEPWHAN’s planned activities for World AIDS Day in Ondo State, Aladelusi lamented the dwindling HIV response efforts in the state due to the recent ineffectiveness of the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA), which he attributed to funding issues.

He expressed concerns about a potential increase in the prevalence rate compared to when the agency was more active in previous years.

Highlighting NEPWHAN’s response efforts in the state, which include community advocacy, outreach, and testing, he revealed that some PLWH had abandoned their medications—a decision he described as risky, as it could deteriorate their health conditions and lead to the progression of HIV into AIDS.

Regarding HIV response sustainability plans and the uncertainty surrounding funding support from foreign donors, he voiced apprehension about the donors’ decision to hand over responsibilities to the Nigerian government, stating that “many would die.”

Aladelusi, whose wife is also a NEPWHAN member, though their grown-up children are HIV-negative, urged PLWH to prioritize healthy diets and practice safe sexual behaviors to avoid developing resistance to medications or being exposed to other sexually transmitted infections, which he noted can be more dangerous than HIV.

“And the more the virus multiplies, the weaker the immunity becomes, and the more other infections set in. But if you take your drugs regularly, you will not develop resistance. Your immunity will remain strong,” he explained.

He further advised, “If you don’t abstain from risky behaviors, you can expose yourself to opportunistic infections.”

He, however, commended the effort of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Global Fund, and other donors towards HIV response in the state, stating that the current efforts and interventions are by these foreign Donors.

Aladelusi outlined the planned activities to mark World AIDS Day in Ondo State, including a thanksgiving service on Sunday, December 1, at the Government House Chapel, and an awareness walk on Monday morning, culminating in a gathering at Democracy Park.