4,000 Young Women Contract HIV Weekly, AHF Warns

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has expressed deep concern over the alarming rise in HIV infections among young women, revealing that about 4,000 females aged 15 to 24 contract the virus every week, with more than 3,300 of those cases occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

In a statement released ahead of the 2025 International Day of the Girl (IDG), AHF Nigeria’s Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Steve Aborisade, called on governments to increase investments in HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, testing, and treatment. He also urged the implementation of policies that improve access to healthcare, education, and reproductive health services for girls and young women.

Aborisade announced that to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl, AHF Nigeria will host an empowerment event on 10 October at Community Commercial Secondary School, Ikot Oku Ubo, Uyo. The event will focus on promoting menstrual health, leadership, and education, while showcasing innovative ideas from girls and distributing free sanitary pads.

He further disclosed that civil society organisations, including the Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CISHAN), the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research Nigeria (CCCRN), and Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS), will participate in the event alongside representatives from the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Women Affairs.

AHF Nigeria Country Programme Director, Dr Echey Ijezie, lamented the challenges confronting young girls, including inadequate menstrual health support, gender-based violence, and poor access to sexual and reproductive healthcare.

“At AHF Nigeria, we are deeply troubled by the barriers young girls continue to face. Every week, thousands become infected with HIV as a result of inequality, limited education, and poor access to essential health services,” Ijezie said.

He added that as of 2023, an estimated 1.9 million adolescent girls and young women were living with HIV globally, compared with 1.2 million boys and young men.

Dr Ijezie noted that the International Day of the Girl, observed annually on 11 October, provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of girls worldwide and advocate for stronger policies that protect and empower them.