Factsreportersng
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) an estimated 38.0 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2019.
In 2019, 68% of adults and 53% of children living with HIV globally were receiving lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) with a great majority of 85% of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV also received ART, which not only protects their health, but also ensures prevention of HIV transmission to their newborns.
In June 2020, 26 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy, marking a 2.4% increase from an estimate of 25.4 million at the end of 2019. By comparison, treatment coverage increased by an estimated 4.8%.
Estimated 1,800,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. Overall, HIV prevalence among adults was 1.4%, with 1.8% in women and 1.0% in men.
Nationally 13 out of every 1000 persons selected at
random are likely to test positive.
Estimated rate of annual new infection (2019) 103,404. Estimated number of annual deaths (2019) 44,830.
South South HIV situation from the National AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) 2018
states HIV prevalence was the highest among females age
35-39 years at 5.8% and the highest among males age
50-54 years at 4.7%. Among younger adults, with
females age 20-24 years (3.9%) having slightly less than
4 times the prevalence of males in the same age group (1.2%).
Edo State Agency for The Control of AIDS (EDOSACA) Executive Director, Mrs Flora Oyakilome (mnim) says HIV can be diagnosed through rapid diagnostic tests that can provide same-day results.
According to NAIIS as at 2020, total number of people living with HIV in Edo state were 88,791, currently 25,262 were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), positive pregnant women 2,102.
She explained that HIV self-tests are increasingly available and provide an effective and acceptable alternative way to increase access to people who are not reached for HIV testing through facility-based services.
She said that the importance of HIV testing services can not be overemphasized as that is the only gate way to treatment including care and support of infected persons.
Mrs Oyakilome who further stated that their is not cure for HIV infections for now, reterirated that free HIV testing services and treatment are available, in Government Health Facilities across the 18 local government area of Edo state.
There are other forms of effective prevention interventions strategies in the state which include, preventing mother-to-child-transmission, male and female condom, harm reduction interventions, pre-exposure prophylaxis, post exposure prophylaxis, voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) and antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) which can control the virus and help prevent onward transmission to other people.
According to EDOSACA Boss, it is important to note that people living with HIV who are taking ART and are virally suppressed do not transmit HIV to their sexual partners.
She revealed that early access to ART and adherence to treatment is therefore critical not only to improve the health of people living with HIV but also to prevent HIV transmission.
She said Behaviours and conditions that put individuals at greater risk of contracting HIV include, having
unprotected anal or vaginal sex, having another sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and bacterial vaginosis;
Mrs. Oyakilome pointed out that HIV can also be transmitted from a mother to her child during pregnancy and delivery.
She said individuals cannot become infected through ordinary day-to-day contact such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food or water.
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