HIV/AIDS: US treats 6,000 infected Nigerians weekly

The United States Government through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)  diagonises and provides treatment to at least 6,000 HIV – infected Nigerians weekly, the U.S Deputy Chief Mission, Ms Kathleen FitzGibbon said.

She said the programme has also invested more than $6 billion in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria since 2003.

FitzGibbon disclosed this in Abeokuta, Ogun State during the launch of Antiretroviral Therapy Surge Response in the state in collaboration with AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN).

The ART Surge light campaign was conceptualized by US PEPFAR to put about 20,200 people living with HIV on life-saving anti-retroviral therapy by September 30,  2021 in the state.

She said in 2020 more than 1.2million pregnant women received HIV testing and counseling towards prevention of mother – to – child transmission of the virus.

Earlier addressing the team in his Oke Mosan office, Governor Dapo Abiodun said that the present administration in the state will intensify efforts towards reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state.