This year’s UNAIDS campaign, together with the WHO call to integrate HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections within strong primary health care systems, provides an aligned framework for action, one that strengthens prevention, reinforces early diagnosis, and recognises the essential role of community-led models in reaching those most vulnerable.

As an Africa REACH Leadership Council Member, I continue to champion coordinated regional action that advances access to the most effective tools and interventions, from long-acting prevention options to strengthened maternal and adolescent health pathways. These priorities also shaped my op-ed, Empowering African Women from the Start: Integrating HIV Prevention into the First Bonds of Life, co-authored with Ms Prudence Nonkululeko Ngwenya of the African Union Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, which highlights the opportunity to anchor HIV prevention within antenatal, maternal and early-childhood care.

Across Nigeria, The Wellbeing Foundation midwives, nurses and frontline health workers continue to translate these global commitments into daily practice, supporting families with respectful, integrated and reliable care at every stage of life. Their leadership affirms that the most enduring gains are achieved when global evidence, national strategies and on the ground experience work together in a coherent and sustained effort.