NOA Announces Plan to Enforce Law Protecting People Living with HIV from Discrimination

The Edo State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Barr. Osahon Woghiren, urged the complete implementation of the law that prohibits discrimination against people living with HIV and other communicable diseases.

Speaking in Benin during an advocacy visit by members of Access to Health and Right Initiatives (AHRDI/CLM), Woghiren said that enforcing the law would reduce stigmatization.

The delegation was represented by Mr. Kackah Alex, AHRDI Program Officer; Mrs. Ngozi Ekweage, NEPWHAN PO/M&E; and Mr. Israel Orekha, Edo State TB Network Coordinator.

The visit aimed to use NOA’s extensive grassroots network and civic education mandate to strengthen community‑level messaging on AIDS, TB, and Malaria (ATM) prevention, anti‑stigma advocacy, patient‑rights awareness, and GBV response in Edo State.

Woghiren expressed regret that people continue to face stigma because of their health status, noting that some families have lost loved ones to HIV, tuberculosis, and other communicable diseases as a result of discrimination.

While praising the enactment of the HIV/AIDS Anti‑Stigma and Discrimination Act as a significant legislative milestone, he recommended that similar protective laws be considered for persons living with other illnesses. He added that consistent implementation of such laws would discourage discriminatory practices and create an enabling environment for patients to access treatment without fear.

“People are afraid to come out because of stigmatisation. If there is a law to that effect, I don’t think people like that will be hiding their sickness or their ailment. But because there is no enforcement, that is the reason why you see majority of Nigerians out there, they don’t go for tests. If they go for tests and they are told they have maybe HIV or tuberculosis, it will be easy for them to access treatment,” he said.

Woghiren pledged NOA’s commitment to raising awareness of free HIV, TB, and Malaria testing and treatment services across communities in Edo State.

Earlier, the AHRDI programme officer explained the objectives of the CLM Project implemented by AHRDI under the Global Fund GC7 N‑THRIP framework.

He provided a comprehensive overview of the CLM Project in the state, its mandate, implementation structure, target populations, and geographic focus in Edo Central.

The team had previously visited the state office of Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN), where they presented an overview of the CLM Project, according to Dr. Saliu Aidorolo.