By Ishaq Haruna Hardawa
The Bauchi State Government has restated commitment towards becoming the first state in the federation to eliminate HIV and AIDS by the year 2030.
The Executive Chairman State Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria, BACATMA Dr Adamu Sambo who stated this at a Press conference to commiserate World AIDS Day in Bauchi, expressed commitment to becoming the first state to eliminate HIV and AIDS in the country.
Dr Adamu Sambo said the celebration is a week long of activities that include community testing, awareness, linking people with HIV to treatment centers and counselling.
He mentioned that so far the state has achieved the 95-95-95 percent target of ending the disease by the year 2030.
Addressing the Newsmen, the State Commissioner of Health and Social Welfare Dr Sani Muhammad Dambam said the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the state has dropped significantly over the years from 6.8% in 2001 to 0.4 percent in 2018.
Dr Sani Dambam represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Alhaji Dauda Yakubu explained that the state currently has over twenty nine thousands people receiving Anti retroviral ARV treatment.
“Significant progress has been made over the past decades with the Landscape of HIV epidemic in our state is improving dramatically”
He said that this year alone, the state has placed over two thousand newly diagnosed HIV positive individuals on ARV treatment.
The Commissioner further disclosed that over 650 HIV exposed infants have achieved 100 percent early infant diagnosis and now remain free of HIV infection.
Dr Dambam emphasised that significant progress has been made in HIV prevention, treatment and care which transformed the disease from a fatal illness to a manageable chronic condition similar to hypertension and diabetes.
” The theme of this year Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response is to reflect the challenges cause by the recent. funding cuts and other set backs which reminds us of the need to build a stronger, more resilient and right focused approach as we look toward ending AIDS as a public health threat by the year 2030″
Also Speaking, the Acting State Coordinator Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria Hajiya Hafsat Abubakar commended the State Government for supporting its members.
Hajiya Hafsat Abubakar appealed to the state government to employ more of its members into its workforce to make life better.
Highlights of the activities include Road Walk, Community testing, lectures, Health talk, distribution of Nutritional support to people living with HIV and AIDS among others.
The Theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is Overcoming Disruption, transforming the AIDS response.
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