The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated 25,000 HIV test kits to the Bauchi State Government to strengthen early detection and prevention of the disease, especially among children.
The Head of UNICEF’s Chief Field Office in Bauchi, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, disclosed this on Monday during the handover ceremony of the kits in Bauchi.
She said the intervention was aimed at improving the health and well-being of children, noting that early detection of HIV ensures timely treatment and helps prevent mother-to-child transmission.
“This is a critical intervention aimed at identifying HIV infection early and saving the lives of children by preventing mother-to-child transmission.
“Once children are tested, mothers will be properly counselled on appropriate nutrition and breastfeeding practices to ensure quality care for their children,” she said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA), Dr. Adamu Sambo, described the donation as timely and strategic.
He said the kits would be utilised to ascertain the HIV status of children and serve as a risk-control measure to curb the spread of the disease and improve health outcomes in the state.
Sambo noted that the state had been facing challenges due to inadequate HIV test kits, which had affected screening across different population groups.
“These kits are timely, and they will go a long way in bridging the gap across various age groups.
“We will also distribute them to other partners with primary healthcare facilities, secondary institutions, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) for use among malnourished children,” he said.
