Ending HIV by 2030 is attainable – NACA

As part of its effort in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has said the 2030 target for ending the scourge is attainable.

Speaking at a one day training organised by NACA in Lagos, with the theme, “New Trends in HIV/AIDS” the Head, Research Unit NACA, Dr Ogbonna Amanze said, as a country, we can achieve the target if we do the right things and out the necessary measure in place.

He said with the right leadership in place and the support of the international donors with increasing domestic funds Nigeria will achieve this target.

In his presentation titled,Trends of HIV Epidemic in Nigeria: NAIIS Results and the Way Forward, Dr OGbonna said, The results of the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) revealed that, in 2017, 3.1million (2.1 – 4.4) people were living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria while 210,000 (110,000 – 320,000) new HIV infecons and 150,000 (86,000 – 230,000) AIDS-related death were recorded.

“The new trend is that there is a decline in the number of people with HIV/AIDS. Current national HIV prevalence is 1.4 per cent amongst adult between ages 15-49 years with a total estimate of 1.9 million person living with HIV in Nigeria. While prevalence rate among female is 1.9 per cent among ages 30 -39 years and it is significantly higher than than 0.9 per cent for the male between the ages of 50-54 years. HIV incidence is 8.0 per cent that is 10,000 persons across both genders and ages group while viral load suppression is 42.3 percent between.”