17,000 receiving HIV treatment in Ogun — NACA

NO fewer than 17,000 people out of which 800 are pregnant women were said to be receiving treatment for HIV in Ogun State.

This was stated by the Director -General of National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Sanni Aliyu, at a press briefing on the activities of the Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), recently, in Abeokuta.

He explained that the survey would give the agency the more precise HIV prevalence in the state and allow it to be able to identify hot-spots, adding that the survey could only ascertain the baseline.

Alliyu said, “What we’re not certain of is the gap that currently exists. Out of those 17,000 on treatment, what proportion are we currently having? Is it more than a 100,000 or less than 50,000. We’re not sure of those figures; which is why we’re doing the survey.

“The survey will give us a more precise estimate of the HIV prevalence in Ogun state. It’ll allow us to do more effective advocacy and seek resources that can be used judiciously. We’ll also be able to identify the hot-spots and target them.”

The NACA boss submitted that the survey was the largest single country HIV survey worldwide and that the programme had recorded a success story in Ogun based on the commitment of the State Government and its officials, religious and community leaders.

He said that the survey had covered 90 per cent of the total enumeration areas, saying “we started three weeks ago and we’ve covered 20 local government areas and 112 enumeration areas which represent 90 per cent of the total enumeration areas. We have just one week to finish with Ogun and move to Inform.

“Three out of every four households we visited have accepted to be part of the survey, which made it easy for us,” Aliyu said.

He added that the total results of the survey would be available by June 2019.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Nofiu Aigoro, appreciated the DG and the NACA team for considering the state as a beneficiary of the survey.

He said the current administration is committed to the health of its citizenry, pledging to provide total support to the agency.