Benue state Coordinator of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AHF, Mrs. Uduak Effiong on Monday said over 188,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS in the state who should be on treatment have not been able to access treatment.
The Coordinator made this known in Makurdi at a press briefing as part of the organization’s activities commencing this year’s World Aids Day, WAD, scheduled to hold on Sunday
Quoting figures from the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey, NAIIS, Mrs. Effiong said “this 188,000 people in Benue who were discovered to be living with the virus should be on treatment but are yet to be enlisted for the treatment.
“This is a challenge we must quickly address in our efforts to drive down the prevalence rate of the virus in the state. All hands must be on deck to take the campaign against the virus to the nooks and crannies of the state and also ensure that care is given to those living with the virus.”
The Coordinator noted however that efforts to bring down the prevalence rate of the virus in the state was yielding positive results as the rate had dropped from 14.1 percent to the current 5.3 percent.
“We need aggressive campaigns to drive the figure further down like what we have in some states where the prevalence is as low as one percent.
“Presently AHF is also working hard to eliminate mother to child transmission. This is strategic and pivotal to the success of bring down the prevalence rate and we need everyone working hand to hand to ensure that the right things are done to record expected results,” she added.
On his part, the AHF Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Steve Aborishade cautioned that the prevalence rate of the virus among young women of between the ages of 20 and 24 across the country had become a source of worry to all stakeholders.
He said “from available survey the prevalence rate among young women of that age bracket is 3.9 percent which is really disturbing. And the issue fueling the increasing rate among women in that age bracket is non disclosure.
“Those infected are not prepared to open up in order to access treatment and our fear is that the prevalence in that age bracket will further surge, that is why we will gather 50 adolescents across Benue during the WAD celebrations to partake in the talks and discussions on the virus to stem the tide.”
The theme for this year is “Communities make the difference”.