Benue State Aids Control Agency, (BENSACA) has disclosed that about 184,745 people are currently living with HIV in the state.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Agency, Mr. Jacob Awodi, stated this at the IBB Square in Makurdi during an event commemorating the 2020 World AIDS Day.
The theme of this year’s event is “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility”.
Dr. Awodi, who called on Benue citizens to be wary of the pandemic and to thread with caution so as to control the spread of the disease, however, stated that about 142,873 of those infected have been placed on treatment.
According to him, the National AIDS indication and impact survey – NAIIS of 2018 has put the state’s HIV prevalence at 4.9 percent as against the national prevalence of 1.4 percent saying all handsome must be on deck to scale the prevalence downwards.
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Dr. Awodi assured that the agency is committed to improving the systems and operations for effective and increased efficiency as well as curtail the spread for the overall benefit of the state.
The Supervisory Commissioner, Ministry of Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyiwona Emmanuel, said the fight against HIV is multisectoral and Benue is in the fore front of response, as it moves towards reaching epidemic control.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Jonathan Kur, Oyiwona said Benue stands in solidarity both globally and locally in tackling the two colliding epidemics of HIV and COVID – 19.
“We must come together to see that the face of global health response change as no single country is safe until everyone is safe,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, wife of the Governor, Mrs. Eunice Ortom, said everyone must stand in solidarity and ensure that the poor and vulnerable are linked to available services and people living with HIV are retained in care.
While she enjoined all stakeholders to work closely with the government of Benue to achieve desires results, Mrs. Ortom expressed appreciation to BENSACA, for their effort as well as other development partners such as APIN/CDC, UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA, AHF, HEART ALLIANCE, Networks of people living with HIV among others for their support.
