…As she launches a campaign to end new HIV, Syphilis infections

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has ended her three-day working visit to Kwara State with a tour of the Garment Factory, one of the legacy projects of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, which is regarded as the biggest of its kind in the country.

While interacting with the workers of the factory, the First Lady stressed the need for them to make the most of the foresight of the Governor by working hard.

“What your Governor has done is to create opportunities for enterprise and productive engagement of youths and women. I want you to work hard and become successful. I’m here purposely to encourage you to make this a huge success for yourself and for your state,” she admonished them.

She later gave the hundreds of workers a stipend of N20,000 each for “your lunch”.

Her aircraft left the tarmac of the Gen Tunde Idiagbon International Airport at exactly 2:22 p.m., followed shortly by the wife of Vice President Nana Shettima and other members of her entourage.

The third day of the visit began with the launch of the Free to Shine Campaign, an initiative of the Organization of African First Ladies (OAFLAD) that is mobilising support to end new HIV infections and protect children and women.

The first two days of the visit were spent inaugurating different iconic projects of the AbdulRazaq administration, leading the groundbreaking ceremony for another one, and visiting a few others.

Some of these projects included an ultramodern Intensive Care Unit; Dr. Amuda Aluko Ward; Gen. Tunde Idiagbon Flyover; and Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari Flyover. The First Lady also had a dinner at the remodelled Flower Garden, an activity that holds a symbolic importance in how the Governor has made positive turnarounds for many state facilities.

She had on Tuesday launched an ICT Community Centre executed by the NITDA in collaboration with her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

On Wednesday, she flagged off the construction of the Oluremi Tinubu Hospital, a major project of the government, and toured the Ilorin Innovation Hub, an imposing facility which already attracted important partnerships from tech giant IHS Towers and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The First Lady also visited the Sugar Factory Film Studio, commending the Governor for his transformative agenda and pledging a donation of N350m to support the production of a movie inspired by local cultural legacies and values.

Speaking at the Free to Shine programme in the morning, Tinubu said the campaign was designed to significantly reduce the number of new HIV and other new infections among women of reproductive age, prevent mother-to-child transmission, and guarantee that every child born with HIV receives the necessary treatment and support to strive.

She said Nigeria shares the highest burden of the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly among the youth, women, and children, adding this was partly a result of the rise in population.

“To complement the Free to Shine campaign, I have also decided to advocate for the triple elimination of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis. This campaign will be held across the six geopolitical zones of the nation,” the First Lady said.

Governor AbdulRazaq, for his part, commended the First Lady for championing the OAFLAD Free to Shine Campaign to end new infections in children and ensure that mothers stay alive.

“Three days ago, we received reports about a significant shift in global HIV/AIDS policies and funding. This change will have far-reaching effects in Africa, and we must act swiftly to minimise its impact on millions of Africans living with HIV,” he said.

The Governor pledged the support of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to raise awareness, mobilise resources, and ensure that people living with HIV receive the care they need to live healthy, productive lives.

He applauded the President’s wife for donating N350M as support for the state’s Sugar Factory Film studios, a gesture-driven by her love for the project and its ongoing movie production that focuses on restoring local cultural values

Kwara State First Lady Amb. Olufolake AbdulRazaq said the Free to Shine campaign is a fine strategy to co-lead a continental effort to end new HIV infections in children and keep mothers alive, applauding the OAFLAD and the African Union for adopting it.

She acknowledged the outstanding roles of African First Ladies, particularly Nigeria’s First Lady, in building awareness and harnessing political commitment to the HIV/AIDS response and the broader health and development agenda on the continent.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammed Ali Pate said the Tinubu administration has spent a lot of money on testing and treatment for many Nigerians who are suffering from HIV/AIDS, Syphilis and Hepatitis.

He said at least 1.5 million HIV/AIDS patients in Nigeria are currently under treatment, adding that the statistics indicate that tremendous progress is being made when compared to what was obtained in early 2000.

Country representative for World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo said the campaign aligns with the 78-point resolutions of member states, committing to the 2022-2030 Global Health Strategies.

For the elimination of these three diseases, attention must be paid to comprehensive prevention, testing, and treatment services for women, children, and their families, according to Pate.

UNICEF Country Representative Ms Cristian Munduate said they are proud of Nigeria’s dedication to HIV/AIDS elimination over the years, and pledged their continued support and robust partnership to eliminate the disease, especially the mother-to-child