HIV/AIDS infection rate drops in Ebonyi

THE HIV/AIDS infection rate in Ebonyi has dropped from three to 0.9 per cent, Mr Ezzagu Nwiboko, the state Coordinator, Ebonyi State Action Committee on AIDS (EBOSACA), has said.

Nwiboko made the disclosure on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki.

He said that the figure represented a drastic reduction in the infection rate.

“We used to record two or more cases of the virus in every hundred.

“We will not rest on our oars till we bring it down to zero per cent.

“We are still worried that the prevalence of the scourge is still high among the commercial sex workers and drivers.

“A visit to places where these long-distant drivers stop for relaxation and where commercial sex workers operate shows that HIV is easily contracted there,” he said.

Nwiboko said that the agency was currently experiencing shortage of anti-retroviral drugs to be distributed to the people living with HIV/AIDS.

“This is hampering our service delivery.

“We have made arrangements to take delivery of anti-retroviral drugs in the next three months from new donor-partners.

“The agreement we had with our previous partners has elapsed; we commend the state government for its tremendous funding of our activities.

“We still encourage individuals, especially the youths, to develop safe-sex culture.

“This will enable us and other concerned agencies to effectively manage the prevailing cases and eradicate new infections,” he said.