HIV/AIDS prevalence rate drops to 4.3 percent in Benue

From Attah Ede, Makurdi

The Benue State government on Tuesday said it is working assiduously to meet up dateline of 2030  to end the scourge of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in the State.

State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Paul Ogwuche, who gave the assurance at a press conference/meeting with stakeholders and partners in preparation ahead of the World AIDS Day holding on December 1st, maintained that the date would be achievable as there is already  drop in prevalence rate to 4.3percent.

He acknowledged that the state had witnessed significant drop in its prevalence rate which stood at 15.4percent in the initial years while renewing his ministry’s commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat in Benue State.

“This year’s global theme, “Overcoming Disruptions, Sustaining Nigeria’s HIV Response,” speaks directly to the realities faced in Benue State.  I acknowledge the challenges been encountered. 

“I want to affirm government commitment that every person in the state would have access to quality HIV prevention, treatment and care services.

“For us in Benue, we have worked with our implementing partners to ensure that there is continued access to life saving Antiretroviral drugs (ARV)’s across all HIV treatment facilities,” he said.

The health commissioner who listed achievements of the Benue State Agency for the Control of AIDs (BENSACA) to include universal access to treatment, expanded testing services, prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) among others, posited that the state also scaled up access to prevention methods.

He added that the critical scientific breakthrough Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U) has remained a proven fact which reduces stigma through transformative knowledge, empowering people living with HIV and providing clear pathway to ending new infections.

“In Benue State, we are committed to ensuring that every person living with HIV achieves viral suppression through consistent treatment adherence. This is our strategy for ending AIDS as a public health threat,” Ogwuche noted.

Earlier on the sidelines, the acting Executive Secretary of BENSACA, Terna Akpiyo, assured that there was no need for patients living with the virus to worry about the withdrawal of foreign aids as the state was working with implementing partners to ensure integration into the scheme for easy access to ARVs.

Akpiyo assured, “We dont have shortage of ARV. Before now, there was a transition plan knowing that by 2030, the funds will cease. 

“As at now, the patients have been integrated into the insurance scheme but their enrollment is what is remaining so that they can access their drugs continuously. BENSACA is now on the driving seat.”

Also, BENSACA’s Nezan James, intimated that the prevalence rate of HIV in the state would have dropped beyond the 4.3 percent figure obtained from the 2018 National HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey (NAIS) reports,  having achieved so much progress in the fight against the spread of the virus in the state.

He said that at least 194,274 patients are currently receiving treatment across the 23 Local government areas of the state.