HIV’s impact on brain health demands urgent action – NACA boss

The Director General of the National Action Committee on AIDs (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, has said that although the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLHIV) has significantly increased due to advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART), the neurological complications associated with HIV continue to pose a significant challenge.

Dr Ilori, in a keynote address at the launch of the Brain Centre in Nigeria, in Ibadan, with the theme “Advancing Brain Health for Persons Living with HIV: A Call to Action,” said neurological complications of HIV is an important reality that needs to be confronted.

According to her, “HIV can directly affect the brain, leading to conditions such as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. The virus exacerbates the risks of strokes, epilepsy, and other neurological conditions, which often require specialized care.

“Left untreated, these complications can severely impact a person’s quality of life, adherence to treatment and mental well-being.”

Ilori declared that initiatives like the Brain Centre represent the specialised care needed to ensure brain health becomes a priority in Nigeria.

She said brain health in Nigeria, particularly in vulnerable populations such as PLHIV are faced with many challenges, including access to brain care, integration of brain health into HIV care; investment in research and training for healthcare professionals in neurocritical care and neurorehabilitation and increasing public awareness on brain health.

The DG, however, declared that “The Brain Centre symbolises hope for a future where specialized care is accessible to all. It reflects our shared commitment to building a healthcare system that prioritizes every aspect of health, including the often-overlooked domain of brain health.

“For PLHIV, the Brain Centre represents a future where no one is left behind, where every individual can live a life of dignity and purpose, regardless of the challenges they face.”

In her welcome address, Dr Temitope Farombi declared that the centre was a bold step towards addressing the often overlooked yet critically important aspects of brain health.

ALSO READ: Northern minorities not part of Northern Agenda — Bunu

According to her, “it stands as a beacon of hope, innovation, and excellence committed to improving the lives of patients with neurological disorders.

“In Nigeria today, one in four persons has hypertension and also one in six persons have diabetes In Nigeria, These are major non-communicable diseases that are driving neurological conditions in Nigeria.

“Right now, we see people who are less than 25 years old coming down with strokes; that affects the way they function in the community. So what Brain Centre is doing is to support everyone with neurological disorders to recover and to be re-intrigued back into society.

“By 2030, Nigeria will experience three times the neurological conditions we are currently having, like epilepsy, stroke, headache, insomnia, depression, and mental health diseases. But then we see us as a beacon of hope that anything we put our heart to do in Nigeria, it is possible.

“We just need the government’s support to enact policies that will retain our best hands. I decided to stay back to provide for the community support, having been trained by the government for over 20 years. So this is us giving back to the society and giving back to the government.”

Chairman of the occasion, Senator Sarafadeen Alli, represented by Dr Saka Adewunmi, stated that the Brain Health Centre, a state-of-the-art facility, was a testament to collective efforts to bring world-class healthcare services to Ibadan and urged that it serve as a model for innovative healthcare solutions in Nigeria and beyond.

READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE