After several years in the parliament,
the HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination bill 2014 eventually scaled through and was
subsequently passed to President Goodluck Jonathan. Without much pressures, he
signed the bill into law. Now, stakeholders, very grateful for the law, demand
the commencement of the implementation phase. IT was a cheery news for
millions of Nigerians living with HIV, when President Goodluck Jonathan on
February 3, 2015, signed the Human Immune Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Anti-Discrimination bill 2014 into law.
Their joy is quite understandable!
Those living with the virus had had to suffer all manner of stigmisation,
humiliation, discrimination and denials. Analysts believe that the signing of
the law reflects Nigeria's commitment to stopping all forms of stigmatization
and discrimination targeted at people living with HIV. The law made
provision for the prevention of HIV-related discrimination and provides access
to healthcare and other services. The Act also provides for protection of the
rights and dignity of people living with HIV and those affected by AIDS in
Nigeria.
The new law is a source of regenerated
hope that all acts of discrimination against people living with HIV such as
recruitment and termination of employment, denial of access to services
including healthcare, education, association and other social services will be
quickly reduced and ultimately ended. The law is also part of government's
effort to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. But the question on the lips of many
bothers on the implementation of the law. When the Guardian sought the view of
some of the civil society groups about the law, they harped on the significance
of implementation.
The director, Centre For Mmadu on Human
Rights (C4M), Uju Okeke said law is highly appreciated, but emphasised the need
to shift attention to implementation. She said: "The National HIV and AIDS
Anti-stigmatization and Anti-discrimination Act is one of the good things that
has happened this year. It is said that one of the ways of evaluating
government's stance on an issue is through laws and policies put in place to
address it. By enacting this Law, the Nigerian government is not only
exhibiting commitment towards issues of HIV/AIDS and PLWHAs but restoring the
Constitutional right to dignity of Nigerians living with and affected by HIV
and AIDS.
What a relief to those living and those
affected by HIV/AIDS! "The implication is that new infections will reduce
as more people will desire to know their serostatus while those who know their
serostatus will be willing to disclose. It will encourage the use of
available care and support services previously hindered by fear of
discrimination and rejection by family and friends. It will also eradicate
discrimination fuelled by ignorance and its associated needless and preventable
deaths. "It is hoped that henceforth, HIV/AIDS related
denial/discharge from employment, denial of accommodation by landlords,
denial/dismissal from schools, denial of treatments in hospitals and family
ostracism among others will be a thing of the past.
As HIV/AIDS does not make one a bad
tenant, does not affect ability to learn in schools. By allowing PLWHIV
contribute their quota in the work place, Nigeria will be the better for it.
"But the next important step is implementation of this law. To
achieve this, awareness of the law needs to be created as knowledge of laws
promotes better compliance and help in their engagement." The National
Agency for Aids Control (NACA) had hailed the signing into law of the HIV/AIDS
Act 2014 by President Jonathan. The Agency described it as a landmark
legislation.
According to the Chief Communications
Officer at NACA, Toyin Aderibigbe, the law brings a renewed hope of a gradual
reduction and ultimate end to acts of discrimination against people living with
the disease and a expression of Nigeria's dedication to stopping all forms of
stigmatization and discrimination targeted at people living with HIV. Her
words: "It makes provisions for the prevention of HIV-related discrimination
and provides for access to healthcare and other services. It also provides
for protection of the human rights and dignity of people living with HIV and
those affected by AIDS in Nigeria. "The new law is a source of renewed
hope that all acts of discrimination against people living with HIV such as
recruitment and termination of employment, denial of access to services
including healthcare, education, association and other social services will be
quickly reduced and ultimately ended. "The law is the latest addition to
Nigeria's commitment to end the scourge by 2030.
During the past four years alone, close
to four million pregnant women were tested for HIV and now know their status,
while 8.2 million adults in the general population were tested. "By 2013,
the number of HIV infections had declined by 35percent and Nigeria is pursuing
efforts to stop new infections altogether.
The number of sites providing services
to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV increased from 675 in 2010 to
5,622 in 2013". Toyin explained that Nigerian government is fully
committed to improving the health of Nigerians and getting to zero new HIV
infections, zero AIDS related deaths and zero discrimination against infected
persons. UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria and Focal Point for ECOWAS,
Dr. Bilali Camara, commended Nigeria for the legislation. He said President
Jonathan and the lawmakers must be applauded for making the Anti-Discrimination
law a reality. He pledged that his organisation would work with government to
ensure the full implementation of the law. "UNAIDS will work with
government to support the smooth implementation of this law, so that AIDS
epidemic becomes history by 2030", he said.
Also, the Network of People Living with
HIV in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) expressed joy in the legislation. The group described
the signing of the bill into law as a new year gift. National Secretary of
the body, Mr. Victor Omosehin said: "This is a New Year gift from Mr.
President to the 3.5 million Nigerians living with HIV. We appreciate this
unprecedented development as it is the beginning of the end to stigma and
discrimination in Nigeria" According to the World Health Organisation
(WHO) statistics, Nigeria has 3.1 million persons living with HIV/AIDS.
The country is the second largest in the
world after South Africa with 5.6 million. The most disturbing aspect of the
thing is that 70% of HIV/AIDS victims in Nigeria fall into the most productive
segment of the population being age 20-39. The implication of this trend
is that the nation runs the risk of her workforce being depleted by HIV/AIDS if
drastic steps are not taken urgently to reverse the spread of the disease.
It is interesting to note that the
Senate had on April 9, 2014 passed a bill seeking to prevent the stigmatisation
of and discrimination against those living with or affected by HIV and AIDS in
Nigeria. Before the senators passed the HIV and AIDS Anti-discrimination Bill,
it has lied in the National Assembly for several years.
The director-general, National Agency
for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Prof John Idoko, described the passage of the
bill as a reflection of Nigeria's commitment to stopping all forms of
stigmatisation and discrimination targeted at HIV sufferers. He pledged
that the two versions of the bill then passed by parliament would be harmonised
and sent to President Jonathan for assent. Through to his words, they were
promptly harmonised and sent to the president. Yet, in the heat of political
campaigns, the president endorsed the bill.
Buoyed up by the successes, NACA's
chief of communications, Mrs Aderibibge promised to liase with the Senate
Committee on Health and the House of Representatives Committee on AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria to push for the bill to become law. They indeed
did. According to Idoko, the federal government remained fully committed to
improving the health of Nigerians and getting to zero on new HIV infections,
zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination. The bill, in addition to
the already stated provisions seeks to reduce the HIV burden through the
prevention of discrimination and stigmatisation on the basis of real or
perceived HIV status, thereby encouraging voluntary testing and counseling,
access to treatment, improved health outcomes and reduction of risky sex
behaviours.
The law eventually provides for a
punishment of either two-year jail term or a maximum of N1million fine on any
institution or organisation which disclosed the status of an infected person
obtained in confidence. Now that the law is in existence, the onus lies on
relevant agencies and organisations to ensure that the full implementation of
the law commences. It is also imperative that the President endorses the People
Living with Disability (PWD) bill before his tenure terminates in May. This
will give those vulnerable members of the society a high sense of belonging.
By:
Joseph Onyekwere
Source: NigeriaBar
No comments:
Post a Comment