87 Die Of HIV/AIDS In Niger State

The Niger Government on Monday said 87
persons have lost their lives to HIV/ AIDS in the
state this year.
Dr Muhammad Sidi, the Permanent Secretary,
state Ministry of Health and Hospital Services,
disclosed this at news conference in Minna to
mark the 2018 World AIDS Day.
Sidi also revealed that 3,000 patients living with
the pandemic were receiving treatment across
the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that this
year’s WAD, being the 30th in the series, has its
theme as “Know Your Status’’.
He said that the prevalence of the pandemic in
the state has reduced from 6.2 per cent in 2008
to 1.7 per cent in 2004.
He said: “I must tell you that this is the lowest in
the North Central region while putting the positive
rate at 0.7 per cent currently.”
The permanent secretary said that the joint
assessment of prevention of mother to child
transmission of HIV/AIDS conducted by his
ministry and State Action Control on AIDS in
2018 also confirmed that 51,712 pregnant
women received HIV/AIDS counselling and
testing in 25 facilities across the state.
He said that out of the figure, 731 patients who
tested positive were already receiving the ARV
prophylaxis.
Sidi added that out of the 137,253 volunteers
who went through counselling and testing this
year, 5,612 tested positive and have since
started receiving the ARV services.
Malam Adamu Baba, the Director-General of the
SACA, noted that stigma and discrimination still
remains an enormous barrier to effective fight
against HIV/AIDS epidemic in the state.
Baba said: “This is why persons living with the
HIV/AIDS find it difficult to disclose their status
to anybody for fear of rejection from relations
and community.”
Baba lauded the state government for its priority
attention to the health sector.