By George K Momo
MONROVIA, Aug. 20 (LINA) – The National AIDS Commission (NAC) is calling on media institutions across Liberia to intensify HIV awareness campaigns in order to meet the global target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Speaking on a local radio talk show recently in Monrovia, Alexander Zogbaye, Commissioner for Decentralization and County Support at the National AIDS Commission of Liberia said the media played a critical role when HIV was first diagnosed in Liberia in the 1980s.
“When AIDS was diagnosed in Liberia in the 1980’s, the Liberia media took ownership of the awareness and everywhere in the country they were telling people that HIV is a deadly disease, when you get it, there is no medicine and you will die,” Zogbaye recalled.
He noted that HIV is no longer a deadly disease, stressing that there is now a positive way out for people who contract the virus
According to Commissioner Zogbaye, the United Nations Joint Committee on AIDS has declared that by the year 2030 there will be no more AIDS because 95% of those living with HIV will know their status, 95% of them will be on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment will achieve viral suppression the triple 95 target.
He indicated that the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that at that point, HIV will no longer be a public health threat.
“The declaration is made and it’s incumbent upon every member state to carry on massive awareness and consider the triple ninety-five a national target,” Zogbaye asserted.
He pointed out that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has made a political commitment to end AIDS by 2030 and has taken practical steps toward that goal adding last year; the President organized a fundraising dinner to support NAC, donated US$50,000 and two brand new pick-ups, and declared the national response a national priority.
Despite these efforts, Zogbaye said there is limited media coverage on HIV awareness and stressed the need for increased mass media publicity to help the country meet its 2030 target.
He named stigma and discrimination as one of the major challenges confronting the HIV response in Liberia and warned those involved to desist.
“The disease is no-longer a deadly disease and public health threat, people can live with it, but the mass media is almost silent on the awareness aspect. Please join us in this fight,” he stressed.
Commissioner Zogbaye urged media entities across the country to initiate daily or weekly programs to create awareness about HIV on their respective platforms. He said ending HIV by 2030 means transmission and deaths will be reduced in Liberia.
He outlined four primary goals of the national response which include; restore and preserve humanity to enable those living with HIV to function normally, suppress the virus so that it is not in the body, reduce HIV-related illnesses and deaths, and to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV.
Highlighting on progress made since President Boakai’s pronouncement, Zogbaye said 86% of people living with HIV know their status through testing, 99% of those who know they are positive are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression.
He used the opportunity to call on the Legislature to ensure an increase in the Ministry of Health 2027 budget, noting that since the withdrawal of USAID, the burden of HIV response now rests with the government, and cater to its key populations affected by the virus.
The National AIDS Commission (NAC) was established by an Act of the National Legislature in 2010 with the mandate to coordinate the multi-sectoral response to HIV in Liberia, produce the national strategic plan, develop the monitoring and evaluation framework, and report annually to the President and National Legislature while playing a lead advocacy role in the national response.