The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has revealed that Nasarawa State currently has an HIV prevalence rate of 2.0 per cent, with an estimated 23,306 residents living with the virus and requiring treatment.
The state coordinator for AHF, Dr. Emmanuel Bichi, disclosed this on Monday during a sensitisation campaign, roadshow, and health talk held in Keffi to commemorate the 2024 World AIDS Day.
World AIDS Day, marked every December 1, is dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, strengthening global solidarity, and reviewing progress in efforts to end the epidemic.
Bichi said the sensitisation activities were part of AHF’s strategic efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in the state and across the country. He noted that the event aimed to promote awareness, prevention, testing, treatment, and support for individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS.
“Nasarawa State has a prevalence rate of 2.0 per cent, with an estimated 23,306 people living with HIV requiring treatment. AHF and the state government are working closely to address various HIV/AIDS challenges,” he said.
AHF Medical Director, Dr. Emmanuel Nwabueze, said the foundation is intensifying its daily campaigns to help eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2030. He added that the organisation remains deliberate in its efforts to expand treatment for sexually transmitted infections and improve general wellness.
“AHF is determined to provide seamless and accessible STI services to the people. We are also working on establishing a wellness centre in Nasarawa State, following the ones in Benue and Abuja,” Nwabueze said.
READ ALSO: FG Rolls Out Free Liver, Kidney Tests for Nigerians Living with HIV
He explained that the wellness centres were created to bring STI services closer to communities and announced that the foundation would continue providing free condom education and distribution.
Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager at AHF Nigeria, Steve Aborisade, stressed that collaboration with key stakeholders—especially young people—would remain central to AHF’s strategy for addressing STI and HIV challenges.
“As an organisation, we will partner with young people and other stakeholders to address the various challenges facing us,” he said.
The Director of Primary Health Care in Keffi, Dogara Dajuma, also called for sustained collaboration and community engagement, noting that local PHC units were intensifying campaigns across various communities to reduce HIV/AIDS prevalence.