FEDERAL Government has said it is working towards eliminating HIV/AIDS as a public health threat before the 2030 deadline set by the United Nations.

Meanwhile, People Living With HIV/AIDS are now being provided with access to yearly liver and kidney function tests through expanded health insurance coverage.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Adekunle Salako, who disclosed this yesterday at the event organised by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and partners to mark the 2025 World AIDS Day in Abuja, noted that despite global challenges, like economic pressures, dwindling of Overseas Development Assistance, conflicts and supply chain disruptions, Nigeria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has remained steadfast in protecting the gains of the past and making further progress, adding that the country had recorded significant achievements across the HIV continuum especially in ensuring access to life saving ART including paediatric formulations.

The minister emphasised that the country had surpassed the UNAIDS target by putting 98 per cent of Nigerians living with HIV on treatment, met the second target of 95 per cent viral suppression and was on the way to ensuring that at least 95 per cent of Nigerians with HIV know their status.

The minister called on all stakeholders: states, partners, communities, and the private sector to strengthen collaboration, scale up innovation, and accelerate the march toward the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.

In her speech, the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, said Nigeria was moving steadily towards the global target of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis by 2030 through efficient use of resources and integrated health care services for women and children.

The First Lady appealed to communities to foster a culture of love, acceptance, and support for people living with HIV.

In her remarks, the Director General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, said that Nigeria had continued to record important achievements in its HIV response and had maintained an impressive 87–98–95 performance toward the global 95–95–95 targets, demonstrating significant progress in diagnosis, treatment coverage, and viral suppression across the country.

According to her, Nigeria, in the last decade, has recorded a 46 per cent decline in new HIV infections, and more Nigerians living with HIV are enrolled and retained in care than ever before, adding that 87 per cent of people living with HIV in Nigeria know their status, 98 per cent of those who know their status are on life-saving treatment and 95 per cent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression, meaning they cannot transmit HIV.