NACA warns misinformation and stigma threaten HIV prevention efforts in Nigeria

Dr. Temitope Ilori, the Director-General of NACA, issued this warning in Lagos during a national training for journalists and social media influencers on HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis PrEP, organized in collaboration with the World Health Organization. Dr. Ilori emphasized that combating HIV requires not only access to medicines and prevention services but also accurate information for informed health decisions. She highlighted PrEP as an effective prevention option for HIV-negative individuals at risk, noting its impact in Nigeria depends on public awareness, correct understanding, accessibility, and willingness to use it.

Dr. Ilori urged media professionals and influencers, whom she described as critical partners, to provide accurate, evidence-based, and respectful information, free from stigma and discrimination. She stressed their role in explaining who can use PrEP, how it works, where it can be accessed, and other prevention options. This warning coincides with Nigeria's strengthened HIV prevention strategy under the National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS 2026–2030, which focuses on sustainability, innovation, partnerships, and community engagement.

Dr. Ilori also advised against judgmental reporting, encouraging humanizing HIV prevention and creating platforms for open discussion without fea