The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AHF Nigeria, has raised alarm over the increasing number of new HIV infections among young women globally, revealing that about 4000 girls and women aged between 15 and 24 become newly infected with HIV every week.
According to the organisation, over 3300 of those new infections occur in sub Saharan Africa alone.
AHF Nigeria made the disclosure ahead of the 2025 International Day of the Girl, calling on governments and stakeholders to strengthen their investments in HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention, testing and treatment. The group also urged policymakers to focus on initiatives that promote education, access to healthcare and reproductive health services for girls and young women.
The Advocacy and Marketing Manager of AHF Nigeria, Steve Aborisade, explained that to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl, the organisation will host an empowerment event at the Community Commercial Secondary School in Ikot Oku Ubo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on October 10. He said the event would focus on promoting menstrual health, leadership and education among young girls while also honouring outstanding ideas and distributing free sanitary pads.
Aborisade said, “The International Day of the Girl provides us another opportunity to amplify the voices of young women and ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge and support to make informed decisions about their health and future.”
Also speaking, AHF Nigeria Country Programme Director, Dr Echey Ijezie, expressed concern over the barriers facing young girls in Nigeria and across Africa, including gender based violence, poor menstrual health and lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services. He said, “Every week thousands of girls become infected with HIV because of inequality, poor education and limited access to health services.”
According to AHF, about 1.9 million adolescent girls and young women were living with HIV globally in 2023, compared to 1.2 million boys and young men in the same age group, underscoring the urgent need for gender focused health and education policies.
