Leadership (Abuja)
Michael Dibie
13 October 2008
The Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan yesterday stated that in recognition of the importance of HIV counseling and testing in HIV prevention and the need for Nigerians to know their HIV status, the Federal Government would institute a yearly know your status week to kick-off this year starting from December.
This he declared in an address at the high level stakeholder's forum on making HIV counseling and testing accessible to all Nigerians.
Speaking on the achievements on HIV, he said that there has been a consistent drop in our National prevalence rate from 5.8% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2005.
He further commented that today, we have one of the largest treatment programmes in Africa with 269,000 peoples on treatment.
According to him, Nigeria has a comparatively low prevalence rate compared with some countries with the African region particularly the southern African sub-region.
"The role of the government is to continue to reduce prevalence in the 15-49 year age group and in particular the number of the new infections" he said.
He further reiterated that government will ensure that its policy on free HIV counseling and testing continues to be implemented at all levels.
The Director General of NACA, Proff Babatunde Osotimehin in a welcome address disclosed that NACA will ensure access to HIV counseling and testing services for all eligible Nigerians. And that an action plan shall be put in place in all states of the federation in order to see to the success of the exercise.
The Board Chairman of NACA, Proff Umaru Shehu in his short address stated that only 10% of people in Nigeria have been able to access the testing as a result of non availability of materials and also stigmatization. He therefore urged the forum to provide an efficient means treatment, prevention and fight against HIV in Nigeria.
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