Kogiflame
Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN) has called on the Governor of Kogi State Alhaji Ahmed Ododo to assent the Kogi State HIV Anti-Stigma Bill, passed by Kogi State House of Assembly, ensuring legal protection and social inclusion for people living with HIV (PLHIV).
In a message to commemorate World AIDS Day 2025 on Monday, Kogi State Coordinator of CiSHAN, Dr. Christy Abayomi Oluwole said Kogi State HIV Anti-Stigma Bill, passed by the House of Assembly, is yet to receive the Governor’s assent, noting that without this law, PLHIV continue to face discrimination that discourages disclosure and care-seeking.
CiSHAN stated that data from the Kogi State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KOSACA) indicated that over 50,000 people are living with HIV, of whom 36,066 are on treatment, which leaves an estimated 19,000 individuals who are not accessing or retained in care, a gap that increases the risk of preventable illness, onward transmission, and social exclusion.
It said with nearly 19,000 people currently not on treatment, gaps caused by stigma, access challenges, or supply issues could result in increased viral load, treatment failure, and avoidable deaths.
CiSHAN tasked the Governor to prioritise and institutionalize dedicated state budget lines for HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support to reduce over-reliance on unstable donor funds.
“Nigeria has made commendable progress toward the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, with many states reporting 87% diagnosed, 98% of them on treatment, and 95% virally suppressed. However, global funding shocks now threaten to reverse these gains unless urgent action is taken at the state level.
The civil society said Kogi State’s HIV response relies substantially on external funding.
“Recent UNAIDS reports show that global donor cuts have disrupted HIV testing, treatment, prevention, and supply chains across multiple countries. Clinics have scaled down services, community programmes halted, and millions risk losing access to lifesaving HIV services.
“For a state like Kogi heavily dependent on external support these changes pose an immediate threat to programme continuity and sustainability
“Any disruption puts essential services including ARVs, testing, commodities, and community outreach at risk,” He said.
According to CiSHAN, the KOSACA Board remains non-functional or inadequately constituted, limiting its capacity for strategic leadership, coordination, and oversight.
The civil society called for reconstitution of KOSACA Board to strengthen governance, oversight, and multi-stakeholder coordination.
