The Senate yesterday passed a bill seeking to prevent the stigmatisation of and discrimination against those living with or affected by HIV and AIDS in Nigeria.
Senators passed the HIV and AIDS Anti-discrimination Bill which has pending for several years at the National Assembly.
In his reaction, 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 said that the two versions of the bill passed by parliament will now be harmonised and sent to President Goodluck Jonathan for assent.
A statement signed by NACA’s chief of communications, Mrs Toyin Aderibibge, said, “We at NACA will continue to work very closely with the Senate Committee on Health and the House of Representatives Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to ensure that this bill becomes law.”
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.
Poor attendance by senators yesterday nearly led to the suspension of plenary as only 22 out of 109 lawmakers were present at the beginning of plenary.
The bill 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 Senate also approved 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.
HIV/AIDS Anti-discrimination bill passed by Senate
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