By
Jamilu Abubakar
Caregivers in Gombe State have called for urgent financial and psychosocial support for affected families living with HIV AIDS in the state.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement on HIV/AIDS response in Gombe, a Caregiver Sarah Sunday whose eight year old child is living with HIV, appealed to government and partner organizations to provide palliatives to ease the burden on families managing children living with the virus.
Sarah Sunday said severe economic hardship, stigma, and emotional strain are major challenges facing caregivers in Gombe State.
Her appeal came as stakeholders raised fresh concerns over poor treatment outcomes among children living with HIV, particularly at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital.
The Community Mobilization Officer of the Gombe State Agency for the Control of AIDS (GOMSACA), Dahiru Adamu, said the engagement with parents, caregivers, and health workers was convened to identify causes of poor adherence to treatment and develop sustainable solutions. He noted that while government has strengthened programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission, gaps remain, especially where pregnant women fail to access antenatal HIV testing.
Adamu warned that failure to achieve early diagnosis through Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services increases the risk of more children being born with HIV, adding that poor adherence to medication among children already on treatment is also worsening outcomes.
A State Clinic Mentor with the Centre for Integrated Health Programme, Dr. Jesse Kantiyok, said Nigeria remains among countries with the highest burden of pediatric HIV, noting that children have historically received less attention in HIV interventions.
Also speaking, Muhammad Ibrahim of the Institute of Social Change, Development and Innovation (ISCODI), said about 466 children aged 0–14 years are currently living with HIV in Gombe State, describing the figure as alarming and requiring urgent intervention.
Stakeholders at the meeting emphasized the need for improved antenatal attendance, intensified public awareness, stronger caregiver support systems, and expanded early testing for pregnant women as critical steps toward reducing new pediatric infections and improving treatment outcomes.
