World AIDS Day 2025: Ending Stigma, Encouraging Treatment

World AIDS Day 2025 is a reminder that while HIV is still part of our reality, it is no longer a death sentence. With free testing, better access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), and stronger community education, more Nigerians are living healthy, fulfilling lives. Yet stigma remains one of the biggest obstacles. Many people still avoid getting tested or delay treatment because they fear judgment more than the virus itself. Ending HIV stigma is now just as critical as providing medicine. Health experts continue to stress that early testing and consistent treatment can suppress the virus, protect partners, and give individuals full control of their health. ART works, but people need to feel safe enough to use it. As we mark World AIDS Day, the message is simple: Be informed. Get tested. Support others. When communities replace stigma with empathy, more people step forward for care and that brings us closer to a future where HIV is no longer a threat.