Posted on: Tue 08-12-2020

Determined to ensure smooth implementation of Human immunodeficiency virus and  Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) activities in Taraba state,  the state governor,  Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku,  has promised to continue to provide the much desired enabling environment to partners in the state. 

 

The state commissioner of health,  Dr. Innocent Vakkai,  who yesterday made this known in Jalingo, the state government through State Aids Control Agency (TACA) have been able to reduced HIV prevalence from 10.5% in 2012 to 2.9% in 2018.

 

Though the state still remains the highest in the northeast Nigeria and forth highest in the country as revealed by the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS, 2018), the state , as made known by him have been able to ensured the increased of patients receiving HIV treatment from "around 35,00 to over 47,699 away of September ending 2020."

 

Stressing that the agency have been able to identified 1000 newly infected patients "in quarter one , January to March 2020, and 900 placed on treatment " 254 new HIV positive pregnant women and 10 HIV positive  children,  he said were identified between January and March 2020

 

Partners which includes Society for Family Health,  APIN Public Health Initiative Nigeria,  Family Health International,  Nigeria Agency for the Control of AIDs, according to him,  have been supporting HIV response in the state .

 

Urging "all partners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)and line ministries to develop and implement targeted activities,  especially among key populations and the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), the government through TACA, he said have successfully completed the HIV/AIDS Programme Development Project ll, which according to him have significantly contributed in the reduction of HIV prevalence in the state. 

 

Aligning his weight to that of the commissioner,  the Director General of TACA,  Dr. Garba Danjuma,  who tenaciously held that "people living with HIV should be shown love , care and support and not to be stigmatized or discriminated " affirmed that HIV/AIDS "is not a death sentence. "

 

The first Lady of the state,  Barrister Anna Darius Ishaku, who have being joining forces with the state government and TACA to ensure drastic reduction of the virus, also aligned her weight to that of the commissioner and DG TACA to called Gana donors,  development partners , foundations and the private sectors to go extra mile towards closing the growing funding gap to end Aids.

 

Sad that HIV remains one of the leading cause of death of women aged 15 to 49 years , she called for greater collaboration   funds support,  increasing awareness and improved education to particularly women and girls related issues.

By Charles Akpeji 

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