[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Acting Country Program Manager, Aids HealthCare Foundation(AHF) in Nigeria, Dr. Greg Abiaziem, on Friday revealed that Benue State still rank highest in the current HIV/AIDS prevalence rating in Nigeria with over 3 million people living with the scourge.
Dr. Abiaziem dropped this during the 2017 World Aids Day celebration, held at IBB square Makurdi, stressing that with the current national survey carried out in 2014, Benue state remain the highest.
The state had for so many years topped the chart of the deadly disease in the country with over 600,000 persons in 2012 found to be living with the dreaded HIV/AIDS.
In 2012, the then Commissioner for Health and Social Services, Dr. Oduen Abunku, had said, ‘In Nigeria, Benue State has for many years topped the chart of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS with over 600,000 persons living with the virus in the state.’
The acting country manager, Aids health care foundation while speaking on
friday said that Benue is the highest with 15.4℅ which he said was unacceptably high which is why AHF is working hard as stakeholder to bring the figure down.
According to him, over 300, 000 people are currently living with HIV and AIDS in the state with over 140, 000 of them now undergoing treatment at various treatment centres in the state.
Dr. Abiaziem called on the state government to channel more funds into HIV project in the state to keep the service going to reduce the scourge.
”From the statistic we have currently, it shows that over one million deaths have been recorded globally on Hiv/Aids as at 2016.
”We have about 2million perons that are newly infected with HIV,while 20million persons are currently without treatment. We want to see how we can breach the gap”, he stated.
The country program manager further disclosed that the vulnerabilities of the scourge are shifting to the adolescents age while the key populations are men sleeping with men, saying there is need to reach out to them in terms of testing, counselling and treatment services.
”Statistically, we have not really done well in terms of testing and treatment services. Therefore, we are Advocating for people to come out for testing so to receive counselling and early treatment if need be. We must hold our government accountable to see that they keep their promises that more funds are committed to aids activities”, Dr. Abiaziem stressed.
In his address Governor Samuel Ortom, who is also the Chairman, Board of Governors Benue State Aids Control Agency, said Benue had the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Nigeria, but due to the dedicated and collaborative efforts of BENSACA and other partners, the state would go down soon.
Ortom who was represented by his deputy, Engr. Benson Abounu ssid the state focus over the years is to get to zero prevalence, which implies zero infections, zero HIV-related deaths and zero discrimination against persons with the virus.
According to him, HIV test must be confidential and must be accompanied by counselling for those who test positive with the informed consent of the person been tested.
”This is an exciting turning point. But we need a new burst of energy to end stigma, end HIV transmission and end the isolation experienced by people living with HIV, for good”, ortom stated.
About Author
HIV/AIDS is spelt in caps lock, as aids can mean to help, assist and so on. Moreover HIV/AIDS is an abbreviation which the English concord says should be in block letters. Please take note. #WAD2017 #Myrighttohealth #Everybodycounts
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