The Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN, has expressed concern over the high rate of children living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, in Nigeria.
It said about 160,000 children were living with HIV in Nigeria, with only 45,000 receiving treatment.
The council, therefore, urged the government and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS among children in the country.
Making the call at the closing ceremony of the HIV intervention programme implemented in collaboration with the World Council of Churches, WCC, in Abuja, the council decried the high number of children living with HIV in Nigeria.
According to the CCN President, Most Rev. David Onuoha, represented by Archbishop Peter Ogunmuyiwa, “Our mission is to identify with the needy and less privileged, and to make a positive impact on their lives. Our efforts have been enriching and impactful.”
He further explained that they were committed to combating the HIV epidemic in the society, and urged all relevant NGOs and government agencies to join them in the crusade.
He added that although they have made some progress in preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to child, they still have much work to do.
The CCN President noted that Nigeria, according to statistics, has a high number of children who are HIV victims – 160,000, with only 45,000 undergoing treatment, saying that it was unacceptable.
Ms Gracias Ross, the World Council of Churches (WCC) representative, assured of the organization’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
She said, “We must change things. If these children are alone and don’t have a family, the church has to be their family.
“This is the calling that we should become the father of the fatherless and fight for the widows and fight for justice.”
The General Secretary of the CCN, Rev. Dr. Evans Onyemara, hailed the WCC’s support in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, highlighting the success stories from the programme’s implementation in several states.
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