Lokoja: As the world commemorates the Day of the African Child, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria is marking the occasion by reigniting its Boys2Men programme. The programme aims to empower Adolescent Boys and Young Men (ABYM) with comprehensive sexuality education, HIV test, and treatment services.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, in a statement on Friday in Lokoja, Dr. Penninah Iutung, the AHF Africa Bureau Chief, highlighted that addressing the unique needs of ABYM could help reduce disparities in HIV prevention and treatment services. He stated that the Boys2Men programme was launched in 2018 to promote positive masculinity, early testing and treatment initiation, and stigma-free care for ABYM. The programme is designed to change the narrative that seeking help is a sign of weakness and to empower young men to take control of their health.
Dr. Echey Ijezie, the AHF Nigeria Country Programme Director, expressed excitement about revitalising the programme, noting that it would provide ABYM with a structured interface to engage and deal with the challenges they face. He added that ABYM in Africa continue to be left behind in HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services. When compared to young women, ABYM often start treatment late and have lower adherence, resulting in poorer health outcomes and higher transmission risk. AHF Nigeria believes that by addressing these gaps, it can help to reduce disparities in HIV prevention and treatment services.
To commemorate the 2025 Day of the African Child, AHF Nigeria will host a football match between the AHF boys and the soccer team of Waru Community, Abuja. The event presents an opportunity to engage young boys in building positive masculinity and being resilient in the face of multiple environmental factors. Ijezie noted that AHF had used the Day of the African Child in previous years to amplify calls for youth-friendly HIV services, comprehensive sexuality education, and stronger public policies addressing Gender-Based Violence and teenage pregnancy. AHF Nigeria’s reignited Boys2Men programme is a step in the right direction to empower ABYM and address disparities in HIV prevention and treatment services, he added.