HIV Can Be Suppressed but Not Cured, NACA Director-General Says

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Temitope Ilori, has warned Nigerians against unverified claims that HIV has been cured, stressing that there is currently no scientifically proven cure for the virus.

Ilori explained that modern antiretroviral treatment can suppress HIV in the body to undetectable levels, allowing people living with the virus to enjoy long and healthy lives while significantly reducing the risk of sexual transmission.

She made the clarification during a media training session on HIV prevention, including Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), held in Lagos in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to Ilori, people who test positive for HIV should begin antiretroviral therapy promptly and continue taking their prescribed medication even when they feel healthy.

She said early diagnosis and consistent treatment can prevent HIV from progressing to AIDS and help maintain a strong immune system.

However, she cautioned that feeling better or having an undetectable viral load does not mean the virus has been eliminated from the body.

“There is no cure for HIV as of today. Some people have claimed to have discovered cures, but such claims have not been scientifically proven.

Anyone living with HIV should not stop their medication because someone tells them they have been healed,” she said.

Ilori noted that effective antiretroviral therapy can reduce the amount of HIV in the bloodstream to undetectable levels.

She explained that this has led to the widely recognised principle that “undetectable equals untransmittable,” meaning that people living with HIV who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load through effective treatment do not sexually transmit the virus.

She added that advances in HIV treatment have made it possible for HIV-positive and HIV-negative couples to maintain healthy relationships and have biological children without transmitting the virus, provided the partner living with HIV remains on effective treatment and maintains viral suppression.

The NACA director-general urged people not to abandon medically prescribed treatment based on false claims of healing. She also called on journalists and media organisations to play a stronger role in combating misinformation, stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV.

Ilori further highlighted the importance of HIV prevention technologies, particularly PrEP, which provides additional protection for HIV-negative people who face a substantial risk of infection.

She said Nigeria currently has different PrEP options, including daily oral PrEP, event-driven or “2+1+1” PrEP for eligible individuals, and long-acting injectable options. These include Cabotegravir, administered at two-month intervals, and the recently introduced Lenacapavir, which is administered twice a year.

She also encouraged Nigerians to use condoms, know their HIV status, undergo regular testing and seek immediate medical care whenever necessary.

According to Ilori, misinformation remains a major challenge to HIV control in Nigeria.

She noted that some people still wrongly believe that HIV can be transmitted through hugging, handshakes, sharing food or drinks, or mosquito bites.

Such misconceptions, she said, contribute to stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

Ilori said Nigeria has made considerable progress in its HIV response but stressed that sustained efforts in prevention, testing and treatment are necessary to achieve epidemic control.

She said the priority should be to ensure that Nigerians know their HIV status, people who test positive begin and remain on treatment, and those at substantial risk of infection have access to appropriate prevention tools.

The NACA boss emphasised that the major challenge now is ensuring that Nigerians have accurate information, access appropriate prevention services and remain on treatment long enough to benefit fully from advances in HIV care.

She reiterated that while HIV remains without a cure, effective treatment can suppress the virus, protect the immune system and prevent sexual transmission when viral suppression is maintained.

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