Agency attributes upsurge in HIV/AIDS in Nasarawa to high risky behaviours

THE Nasarawa State AIDS Control Agency (NASACA) has attributed high risky behaviours engaged by Adolescents and Youths for the upsurge in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in the state.

The Executive Director, NASACA, Dr Ruth Adabe, said this on Wednesday in Keffi while presenting an overview PMTCT and AYP of Nasarawa State at a one-day meeting with media executives in Nasarawa state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting is co-organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Kaduna State Field Office, and the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

Adabe, who was represented by Dr.Peter Attah, the state’s HIV/AIDS and STIs Control Programme, called for a collective fight against HIV/AIDS,

“As a result of engaging in these high risky behaviours, there has been an upsurge in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents,’’ he said.

The officer said it was important for all stakeholders supporting HIV in the state with adolescents and youths who are the key persons to meet and engage themselves in order to sensitise the general public on the epidemic.

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“In 2016, 240,000 adolescents (between the ages of 10 and 19, were living with HIV, making up seven per cent of the total number of people with HIV in Nigeria.

“HIV prevalence among this age group varies regionally, with 4.3 per cent of 15 to 19-year-olds living with HIV in the South-South, compared to 1.3 per cent in the South East.

“Health outcomes for adolescents living with HIV in Nigeria are poor, and Nigeria is the only country in the world where mortality in 10 to 14-year-olds is rising.

“Young women have a higher HIV prevalence and are infected earlier in life than men of the same age group.

“In 2016, more than 46,000 young women were infected with HIV compared to 33,900 young men.

“Reports from a 2017 National Health Survey showed that only 29 per cent of women and 27.9 per cent of men between the ages of 15 to 24 could correctly identify ways of preventing sexual transmission of HIV, and reject major myths around transmission,” she said.

She disclosed that 4,245 AYPs were currently on ARV treatment as at June 2018 in the state, comprising 976 males and 3,269 females, noting that female are the most affected group.

The executive director called for effective strategy to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, urging for HIV counselling and testing among the people.

Earlier, Mr Rabiu Musa, the Communication Officer of UNICEF, Kaduna Field Office, said that the aimed of the meeting was to provide knowledge and orientation to the participants on PMTCT, AYP and HIV/AIDS situation in order to tackle the menace in the country.