By Justina Auta
The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has called for stronger measures against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), warning that people living with HIV face heightened risks of abuse and require integrated support services.
The organisation also said that persons living with tuberculosis are vulnerable to violence and need comprehensive support mechanisms to address their health, protection and psychosocial needs nationwide.
Dr Olayemi Olupitan, Project Director, Global Fund Grant Cycle 7 Nigeria at IHVN, made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a workshop.
Olupitan said stakeholders must move beyond focusing solely on HIV, tuberculosis and malaria interventions to address gender-related vulnerabilities that continued to affect patients receiving treatment and care across healthcare facilities nationwide.
According to her, evidence from Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) clinics showed that many people receiving HIV and tuberculosis treatment are also exposed to various forms of gender-based violence, requiring targeted interventions and support.
“It is critical not only to look at malaria, TB and HIV, but it is also important to look at the area of gender-based violence.
“We have noticed over time that the people we are taking care of in the ART clinics, people living with HIV and people with TB, have this trend of increased risk of GBV.
“There are special and intentional efforts to ensure that we screen them every time they present for their medication to identify those exposed to gender-based violence wherever they live,” she said.
Olupitan explained that survivors identified through routine screening were provided with tailored interventions based on the nature of violence experienced, ensuring access to medical care, psychosocial support and protection services.
She said survivors of sexual violence were screened for sexually transmitted infections and treated accordingly, while individuals with physical injuries received appropriate medical attention and follow-up support where necessary.
Olupitan said patients experiencing emotional abuse were offered psychosocial support, while those requiring additional assistance were referred to relevant state agencies for specialised services and protection measures.
“For the ones that, for one reason or the other, need more support, we link them up with agencies in the states because we are not able to do everything.
“Some may even need safe housing, so we provide that linkage,” she said, stressing the importance of collaboration among healthcare providers, government institutions and community-based support organisations nationwide.
The project director urged governments and stakeholders to intensify efforts against GBV, improve documentation of cases and encourage more survivors to speak out and seek available support services.
“It is high time we stopped paying lip service to GBV management. People are not speaking up. A lot of the survivors are still not speaking up.
“It is high time we documented better. It is high time we took the matter seriously,” Olupitan added, calling for sustained commitment to protecting vulnerable groups from abuse nationwide.
She also called for stronger legal frameworks to ensure perpetrators of gender-based violence were held accountable, emphasising that impunity continued to undermine efforts aimed at preventing abuse and protecting survivors.
“They should strengthen the legal framework to ensure that perpetrators do not go free. It is not business as usual,” she said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru