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NACA: Only 10,000 out of 81,481 HIV patients are receiving treatment in Ondo
The National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA) has revealed that only 10,000 people living with HIV are receiving treatment out of the 81,481 in Ondo State.
This was disclosed by the Director General of NACA, Dr. Sani Aliu on Thursday in Ondo town in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state, when he paid a visit to the palace of the Osamawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo.
According to Dr. Aliu, who was represented by NACA’s Director of Resource Mobilisation, Josephine Kalu, the NACA team was at the palace to seek for the support of the traditional ruler to mobilise his subjects for survey in the area tagged ‘Nigeria Aids Indicator and Impact Survey’.
“Based on spectrum estimate we have, 81,481 persons are living with HIV in Ondo State as at 2017 and out of the figure 10,000 persons are on treatment including 2,783 pregnant women. Also, the estimate for new HIV infection is 5,439 persons,” he said.
He also revealed that the survey is the largest HIV population based survey in Nigeria and it’s being supported by the U.S. and Global Funds, noting that the survey was important for proper planning and development of strategies that would lead to eradication of HIV and hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
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“The focus of the survey is to able to gather data that will help to fight current level of HIV and hepatitis B and hepatitis C as we are looking at 2030 for a HIV-free generation. We cannot but have data that can be effectively used to fight these,” he said.
Aliu also called for more domestic resources to curb HIV.
In his comments, Oba Kiladejo commended efforts of the agency, urging it to do more on counselling and to focus more on the vulnerable areas.
Calling for more funds to fight the HIV scourge, the monarch said the high number of people living with HIV has become worrisome.
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