Health
A Professor of Medicine in the U.S., Juliet Iwelunmor, has identified limited access to preventive services and persistent stigma as barriers hindering the fight to end HIV/AIDS transmission among youths.
Iwelunmor, who work at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, U.S., made this known at the 2026 Designation organised by the Innovative Network on the Science and Practice of Implementation, Research and Engagement (INSPIRE).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised to scale up Lenacapavir for youth-centred HIV prevention and care across Africa.
Lenacapavir is an antiretroviral medication used to treat and prevent HIV/AIDS.
The World Health Organisation in 2025 recommended the use of injectable lenacapavir twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention
She said:” Despite the progress made so far in preventing the transmission and care for HIV patients access Africa, access to these services are big issues , making it impossible to reach our young people,.
” The lack of youth-friendly clinics that could prevent stigma is also a major problem; these centres should be decentralise away from clinics to places where young people can easily go to access preventive care”.
On the programme, Iwelunmor who is the Director of INSPIRE, said the designathon was initiated to scale up, adapt and sustain HIV interventions for adolescents and young adults in Africa through creative ideas.
She said that eight teams, selected across Africa, were participating in the event to chart a new course for HIV/AIDS prevention in the continent.
She added that Lenacapavir was one of the most promising long acting HIV prevention options, while the science is strong, the pathway for equitable access, acceptability and effective delivery are still emerging in Africa settings.
“This designathon is dedicated to develop creative ideas on how to scale up and sustain HIV interventions for adolescents and young adults.
“The programme is similar to a hackathon were teams will work together to design and present their solutions to a panel of judges,” she said.
Iwelunmor commended the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) and other partners for supporting the programme.
Speaking also, a Professor of Global Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in London, Joe Tucker, said Nigeria had what it took to lead and help flip the script in HIV prevention.
Tucker said the country should capitalise on its vast human resources to reduce and prevent the transmission of HIV among its teeming youth population.
He urged the government to commit more resources to research, noting that the funding cut on HIV intervention was driving the increase in mother-to-child transmission in some regions.
“There is hope, especially seeing the energy from young people. But with funding cuts and uncertainty in the HIV landscape, we must do more.
“We’re seeing rising infections in some regions, more babies born with HIV, and challenges with treatment adherence.
“The progress made through programmes like PEPFAR is at risk, so we need alternative funding and renewed commitment,” he said.
One of the judges at the designathon, Dr Matilda Carey, a Public Health Physician and one of the resource persons emphasised the importance of youth-driven solutions to end HIV.
Carey noted that initiatives provided a platform for turning ideas into practical solutions, particularly as new medications like lenacapavir offered fresh opportunities in HIV prevention.
“We are looking for ideas that are simple, innovative, and easy to integrate into existing systems and they must resonate with young people and have the potential for sustainability.”
“Nothing about young people without young people. When solutions are designed with the target population involved, the impact is far greater,” she said.
NAN reports that the eight teams participating at the events are Team BioSecure from Nigeria, Team HAIR SALON from South Africa, Peerlen from Tanzania , Safe Six from Uganda and Team Catalyst from Nigeria.
Others are MyCare from Nigeria, Nexus from Nigeria and Team Reach from Nigeria.(NAN)
A.I
May 5, 2026
Tags: Dr Matilda Carey Juliet Iwelunmor Professor of Global Health St. Louis