ASHENEWS reports that female sex workers, trangender, men who have sex with men, persons in correctional centers and persons who inject drugs are the main drivers of HIV in Niger state, the Commissioner of Health, Dr Tukur Bello has disclosed.
The state Commissioner of Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr Tukur Bello stated this in a press briefing to commemorate the 2024 World AIDS Day in Minna, Niger state.
According to him, early sexual debut, poor pre-marital screening for HIV before marriage, sub-optimal HIV testing services especially amongst children and adolescents, poor knowledge on prevention services alongside low condom use, transfusion of unscreened blood among quacks, stigma and discrimination are factors associated with the transmission of new infections in the state.
The Commissioner disclosed that out of 85,170 clients counselled and tested from 1st January to October 30th, 2,646 clients tested positive, out of which 88 were pregnant women adding that the state currently has 33,937 people living with HIV who are currently receiving treatment in Niger state while over 30,000 people are currently on HIV lifesaving drugs in the state.
He disclosed that the state currently have no infants who tested positive for HIV in the course of the year.
“The early infant diagnosis for the total number of infants who had a first virologic HIV test sample collected for the year under review from PMTCT sites stands at 86. Out of this total number of samples sent, none were found to be positive. All those that pass through the PMTCT services turned out negative.”
Bello stated that the state is working to reduce its HIV prevalence which currently stands at 0.7 per cent adding that a lot still need to be done if the state will achieve epidemic control and eliminate new infections by the year 2030 according global targets.
Various stakeholders at the event applauded the government for giving them an ending environment towards the response of eradicating HIV in the state.
