UNITE FOR CHILDREN

Children and HIV and AIDS

Nigeria launches UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS

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© UNICEF Nigeria/2005/Nwosu
Panellists at the launch of UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS in Abuja, Nigeria.

ABUJA, Nigeria, 9 November 2005 – UNICEF, UN Agencies and government partners jointly launched the UNITE FOR CHILDREN  UNITE AGAINST AIDS campaign in Nigeria, at an event held here yesterday. In addition to the various official representatives, more than 60 members of the national and international press attended.

Describing the significance of the campaign for Nigeria, UNICEF Representative Ayalew Abai said: “Nigeria now has the third largest population of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world. Five per cent of Nigerians are HIV positive. With the current population growth rate, the potential devastation to this country without effective action will be enormous. There are already 1.8 million children orphaned by AIDS in Nigeria.”

Famous football star and UNICEF Nigeria Goodwill Ambassador Nwankwo Kanu delivered a strong message via video in support of the campaign. Cellphone provider MTN arranged for an SMS message to be sent to all 9 million subscribers in the country. The message read, in part: “You can stop AIDS from destroying our children and leaving millions of orphans in Nigeria. UNITE FOR CHILDREN  UNITE AGAINST AIDS.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

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