Number of people positive to HIV and on antiretroviral therapy has topped 747,000 but is still less than half the number eligible to be placed on treatment, according to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).

 

Speaking at 2015 Candle Light Memorial organised by the Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Dr Emmanuel Agogo, an assistant director in charge of treatment at NACA said, “There are more people who we think are eligible, who are out there and we want them to be put on treatment. That is why there are lots of efforts to test people and get people to know their status because it based on their CD4 count that we offer these treatments."

 

Of 33 million people living with HIV, only patients with CD4 count up to 500 cells per cubic millimetre can get on the federal government treatment programmes in any of 1050 facilities nationwide. But up to 1.5 million are eligible for treatment.

 

The candle light memorial, meant to remember those who've succumbed to the HIV pandemic, draws attention to HIV still being a pressing public health concern and threat to development.

 

 

“We have to do this to remember our past heroes, people who in spite of stigma and discrimination in the early days of AIDS still came out to declare their status. They advocated to the government and demanded for treatment and today we remember them,” said Edward Ogenyi, coordinator of NEPWHAN.

 

It also seeks to support the future of people living with the virus with access to treatment, care and protection.

 

It has adopted the Vision 90-90-90, an ambition to by 2020 ensure 90% of Nigerians know their status and 90% of those positive are placed on treatment in efforts to reduce their viral load by 90%, making them unable to transmit HIV.

 

Gabriel Undelikwu of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said, “The vision 90-90-90 tell us that we have potentials and guided by scientific evidence to end AIDS a public health challenge and I can assure you that the global community has been mobilised to meet this target.”

 

By Judd-Leonard Okafor

Daily Trust