Address Gender Disparities in TB, HIV, and Malaria Response for Women- Lawyers Alert, MHR Urge Akwa Ibom Government
By Ekemini Simon
Lawyers Alert in collaboration with Media, Health and Rights Initiative of Nigeria (MHR) have called on the government of Akwa Ibom State to address gender disparities in Tuberculosis (TB), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and malaria response for women in Akwa Ibom State.
Akwa Ibom State continues to top as State with one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in Nigeria, with high Tuberculosis rate further complicating the situation coupled with concerns of malaria among pregnant women and children under five.
At a virtual presentation of its Situational Analysis for Akwa Ibom State on Law, Rights and Community Empowerment for Social Change in HIV, TB and Malaria Response on Friday, the President of Lawyers Alert, Dr. Rommy Mom said that despite ongoing interventions to address the aforementioned diseases, barriers such as stigma, gender inequality, and limited healthcare infrastructure will continue to hinder progress until gender disparities are addressed.
Mom explained that their call is predicated on a comprehensive situational analysis they conducted under the Gender Equality Fund (GEF) project which exposed pressing gender-related barriers hindering women’s access to healthcare services for TB, HIV and Malaria in Akwa Ibom State.
He noted that the report underscores systemic inequalities, cultural norms, economic constraints, and policy gaps that continue to obstruct women’s right to equitable healthcare.
While explaining that the analysis identifies critical policy gaps, gender disparities in healthcare access, and the urgent need for community-driven advocacy to address these challenges, the Organisation’s President pointed out that the findings emphasize the necessity of strengthening healthcare systems and enhancing community engagement to tackle stigma and discrimination.
Highlighting the key findings, Mom explained that with one of the highest HIV prevalence at 5.5 percent, Akwa Ibom State also contributes 12 percent of the country’s TB cases while malaria remains a leading cause of morbidity, particularly among pregnant women and children under five in the State.
Offering insight to other challenges, he added “Women particularly face significant barriers, including economic dependency, stigma, and caregiving responsibilities, which limit their ability to access timely healthcare.
“Stigma associated with HIV and TB discourages women from seeking care, while cultural and religious beliefs often lead to reliance on traditional remedies over modern healthcare. The frequent stockouts of TB medications, inadequate diagnostic tools, and poor healthcare infrastructure, especially in rural areas, hinder effective service delivery.
“Lack of healthcare gender-sensitive frameworks leads to fragmented interventions and limited impact on women’s health outcomes.”
To address the concerns, he urged the State Government to ensure healthcare systems integrate TB, HIV, and Malaria services into a single, comprehensive care framework to improve resource utilization and ensure holistic care for patients with co-existing conditions.
Lawyers Alert’s President said there is need for the government to prioritise provision of economic support and empowerment programmes for women to reduce financial dependency and improve access to healthcare.
Mom called on the government to strengthen the capacity of women-led organisations and community health champions to advocate for gender-sensitive healthcare and challenge harmful cultural norms.
He asked that the visibility and enforcement of existing health policies be enhanced particularly those addressing gender disparities and stigma reduction.
The organisation’s President recommended the government to collaborate with private sector entities to address funding gaps and improve the availability of essential medications and diagnostic tools.
Lawyers Alert and MHR called on the Akwa Ibom State Government, healthcare providers, civil society organizations, and international partners to prioritize gender-transformative approaches in addressing the healthcare challenges identified in the report.
They said that by addressing the root causes of reliance on traditional treatment over modern medicine, as well as the frequent stockouts of medications, a more cohesive and effective system that equitably provides access to prevention, treatment, and care services will be ensured.
Lawyers Alert, a leading Nigerian non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to promoting human rights, gender equality, and access to justice, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable populations together with its media partner (MHR) which specialises in strategic communication is carrying out the “Law, Rights, and Community Empowerment for Social Change in TB, HIV, and Malaria Response,” project in Akwa Ibom and Benue States.
The project is supported by the Gender Equality Fund aimed at addressing gender-related barriers to healthcare access in Nigeria, particularly for women and vulnerable groups affected by HIV, TB, and Malaria.