NEWS
Niger State has lowest HIV/AIDS prevalence in North Central - Health Commissioner
By Suleiman Yakubu
Niger State Government said it has about 37 healthcare facilities offering comprehensive HIV services spread across the three geographical zones of the state, which provide access to prevention, treatment, care, and support services to members of the public at no cost.
The state commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Healthcare, Dr. Bello Tukur, stated this during the press briefing as part of activities to mark 2023 World Aids Day at the conference hall of the ministry.
The commissioner, who was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Gana, explained that the day was set aside to create awareness about HIV/AIDS, remind ourselves that the disease is still with us, and intensify efforts through joint partnership and collaboration to achieve epidemic control.
He said the day was also for reflection on the achievements made in terms of interventions by various stakeholders, scrutinising the existing challenges, and working collectively towards addressing current gaps.
The commissioner further stressed that Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago was passionate and committed to creating an enabling environment for partners and other stakeholders to implement programmes and projects that promote equitable resource allocation.
He disclosed that the first case of the disease in Niger State was discovered in 1990, and since then, the epidemic has been fluctuating over the years, until recently, when the prevalence dropped to about 0.7 percent, which he said was the lowest in the North Central Zone of the country.
"A total number of people living with HIV and receiving treatment in Niger State stands at 34,898; in addition, between January and October 2023, a total of 28,268 pregnant women who attended antenatal services were counselled, tested, and received results, out of which about 2,209 tested positive and were linked to treatment ervices," he added.
He said the theme for the 2023 World AIDS Day, "Let Communities Lead”, was because of the critical role that communities were playing in the HIV response.
Also speaking, the Acting Director General, Mallam Umar Isha Garba, pointed out that the total number of infants who had a first virologic HIV test sample collected for the year under review from PMTCT sites stood at 205.
National Clinical Mentor Niger State Dr. Mike Onyilo explained that the main drivers of the epidemic in Niger State were among the members of the key population, such as sex workers, transgender persons in the correctional facilities, and persons who inject drugs, adding that factors associated with the transmission of new infections included early sexual debut, poor pre-marital screening for HIV, transfusion of unscreened blood among quacks, and deliveries by unskilled personnel, which have been shown to be major factors that increase mother-to-child transmission of HIV.