The Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA) has denied media report that 51.6 per cent of married couples are HIV positive in the state.
The Project Manager of AKSACA, Dr. Nkereuwem Etok, said in Uyo on Saturday that the figure was a misrepresentation of the people of Akwa Ibom and an error in data presentation.
He disclosed that the current prevalence of HIV rate in the state was 10.8 per cent according to Antenatal Sentinel Survey conducted.
He said, “It is true that Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (radio) phone-in programme on July 25, the figure 51.6 per cent came up as a response to a caller who asked a question bordering on the 10.8 per cent HIV prevalence in the state.
“The project manager, as caution sign for vulnerable groups went further to give a breakdown of the 10.8 per cent to comprise 4.0 per cent female sex workers; 30.4 per cent casual, heterosexual couples, 51:6 per cent married couples, and more.
“Sadly the reporter mistook this figure to mean that 51.6 per cent of Akwa Ibom married couples are living with HIV rather than a component of the 10.8 per cent.
“Aware of the controversy surrounding the 10.8 per cent prevalence figure, and the government and the people of Akwa Ibom State consider the figure as bloated,” he said.
The programme manager assured that the agency in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and< FHI360 would soon publish the result of HIV survey it conducted.
He added that the survey would give true, reliable and acceptable HIV prevalence for the state.
