The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that it supported over 700,000 Adolescent and Young Persons (AYPs) with HIV/AID information in Kaduna State in the last two years to identify, locate and treat those living with the virus.
UNICEF’s HIV and AIDS Specialist, Kaduna Field Office, Dr. Idris Baba, who disclosed this, the programme was targeted at AYPs in seven pilot local government areas of the state in partnership with the State Government.
“The intervention was designed to identify, locate and place on treatment all AYPs living with virus as part of efforts to reduce the rate of new HIV infection among the group,” he said.
Speaking at the commemoration of the 2018 World AIDS Day in the state, Idris listed the benefitting LGAs to include Jama’a, Jaba, Lere, Kagarko, Igabi, Chicano and Birnin Gwari.
He said they started the AYPs intervention in two local government areas of Jema’a and Jaba in 2016, and later scaled it up to five additional LGAs which are Lere, Kagarko, Igabi, Chikun and Birnin Gwari.
According to the HIV/AIDS expert, a good number these category of Nigerians now know their HIV/AIDS statuses.
Further, Idris said: “HIV prevalence had also dropped from 2.2 per cent to about one per cent in the state the development he described as a positive. What this means is that, the rate of new infection is going down and we are keeping people alive on treatment.”
“As long as we keep people alive and on treatment, the rate of new infection will continue to drop. Prevalence rate will also drop and we will be sure to end AIDS epidemic by 2030″.
Knowing one’s HIV status was the most important aspect of HIV intervention and key to treatment, prevention, care and support services,” Idris assured.
No comments:
Post a Comment