Prevalence of HIV, AIDs in Edo state declines to 4.1%

Edo State Government has expressed worry over the Human Immune- deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune- deficiency syndrome HIV/AIDs prevalence to 4.1 percent in the state against the National rate.

Florence Oyakhilome-Edemode, executive director of Edo State agency for the control of AIDS (SACA), gave the hint in an interview with newsmen in Benin-City.

According to Oyakhilome-Edemode, “As at 2012, when we came on board the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Edo State was 5.3 percent but with the implementation of intervention programmes put in place by the state government such as empowerment of about 20 organizations with grants, by 2014 survey, the prevalence rate has dropped significantly to 4.1 percent of the state’s population.

“This is still worrisome because it is still higher than the National prevalence rate of over 3 percent. That is why we are worried, but all hands are on deck to ensure that we get to zero percent”, she said.

BusinessDay recall that, Isaac Adewole, minister of health in August, 2017 disclosed that a total of 173,600 persons were living with HIV/AIDs virus in Edo state.

The minister, who referred to the 2016 statics during a visit to the state governor, Godwin Obaseki in government house also disclosed that 25,730 persons living with the virus were on antiretroviral treatment.

Edemode, said plans have been concluded by the agency to embark on aggressive sensitization enlightenment in rural communities across the three senatorial districts in the state on safe sexual relationship especially the youths and using unsafe sharp objects.

She added that with the constitution of the board for the agency by the state governor, the right structure and enabling environment put in place the state is moving towards attaining zero percent.