Rivers state, with a 15.2% prevalence rate, is
the state with the highest level of HIV/AIDS
in Nigeria, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
reports.
This was detailed in a report on the HIV/AIDS
prevalence rate published by the National
Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) and
some tests carried out on people living with
HIV/AIDS.
Taraba came second on the list with a 10.5
% prevalence rate while Kaduna, with a 9.2
%, comes in third position.
Nasarawa, FCT, Akwa Ibom, Sokoto and Oyo
occupied the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and
eighth spots respectively on the chart.
Benue state governor’s wife, Mrs Eunice
Ortom, revealed that the state is now ninth
on the log, an improvement from its former
number one position in the country...
According to her, Benue had over the years
been rated highest in HIV and AIDS
prevalence, but that the recent results show
that their journey to achieving zero cases is
not far off success.
She 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 had been lifted to
be the ninth in the country.
“Our 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.”
Mrs Ortom noted also that the idea is to
break the Guinness World Record on HIV test
by testing and issuing results to 10,000
persons to ensure quick access to testing
and counseling by the people of the state.
“The concept of testing 10,000 persons and
producing results within eight hours is,
therefore, not just an exercise for the purpose
of breaking the Guinness World Record, but to
send a strong message to the world.
“The message is that testing is the first step to
prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS and
everyone needs to know his or her status, ” she
added.
About two months ago, a report was made
public, where it was revealed that about
3.4million Nigerians were living with HIV/
AIDS.
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