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Tag: HIV

  • HIV,AIDS Prevalence Drops from 15 to 4 Percent in Benue State, Says BENSACA Boss

    HIV,AIDS Prevalence Drops from 15 to 4 Percent in Benue State, Says BENSACA Boss

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    The Executive Secretary, Benue Benue Aids Control Agency, BENSACA, Dr Ephraim Tyo, has declared that HIV, AIDS Prevalence in the state has significantly dropped from 15 to 4 Percent.

    Dr Tyo who made the declaration in Makurdi when he paid a courtesy visit to the Special Adviser to  Governor Samuel Ortom on Local Government and Chieftain Affairs, Mr Kenneth Achabo, acknowledged the support the agency has continued to enjoy in the fight against the virus.

    The Executive Secretary, pointed out that the drop in the Prevalence of HIV, AIDS has brought the state from first to bottom of the chat of the infections. He sued for more collaborations from relevant stakeholders to pull the state out of the chat.

    Responding, the Special Adviser, Mr Achabo pledged to collaborate with the Agency to enable it sustain its fight against HIV, AIDS in the state.

    The Special Adviser assured BENSACA’s Boss of a cordial working relationship to succeed in the fight against HIV, AIDS to enure  total eradication of the virus. 

    Mr Achabo lauded the Governor over appointment of vibrant appointees whom he assured would add value to the present administration and help the Governor to deliver true dividends of democracy to the people of the state. Ends

  • Africa records 2,500 new cases of HIV infection daily- WHO

    Africa records 2,500 new cases of HIV infection daily- WHO

    …Urges countries to invest more on drugs

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    As the world marks the 201 World AIDS Day, the World Health Organization, WHO, has disclosed that at least 2,500 news cases of HIV are recorded daily in the African Region.

    WHO African Regional Representative, Dr Matshidiso Meoti disclosed this in a message to mark the day in Africa with the theme, “End inequalities. End AIDS. End pandemic”.

    Moeti noted that HIV remains a major public health concern burden in Africa and globally since the first HIV cases were reported 40 years ago.
    She said,” Last year, two out of every three new HIV infections occurred in the African Region, corresponding to almost 2 500 new HIV infections every day. Sadly, AIDS claimed the lives of 460 000 people, or a shocking 1 300 every day, in spite of free access to effective treatments.”
    The global health agency therefore called on countries to increase HIV fundings amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The WHO Regional head said, “I urge governments to prioritize investment in health funding for community-led, human rights-based, gender transformative responses. We must boost our essential health workforce, and secure equitable access to life-saving medicines and health technologies.”
    “Going forward, we cannot afford to lose focus on the urgent need to end the inequities that drive AIDS and other epidemics around the world.”
    She decried the negative impact of treatment and care on HIV across Africa due to the demands of COVID-19 but noted that in spite of the challenges Africa has made significant progress against HIV in the past decade.
    In areas reducing new infections by 43% and nearly halving AIDS-related death, stating that in the Region, 86% of people living with HIV know their status, and 76% are receiving antiretroviral therapy, she said.
    She lamented that Africa may likely not end AIDS by 2030 due to less reduction in cases.
    She said,” We are unlikely to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, after we fell short of the expected 75% reduction in new HIV infections and 81% reduction in AIDS-related deaths by 2020.
    Despite the very high percentages of people living with HIV who know their status, and treatment rates, new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are not decreasing concomitantly.”

    For instance, in West and Central Africa last year, key populations and their sexual partners accounted for 72% of new adult HIV infections. Yet punitive laws, policies, hostile social and cultural environments, and stigma and discrimination, including in the health sector, prevent them from accessing services.
    With COVID-19, people living with HIV appear to be at elevated risk for virus-related illness and death. Nearly 70% live in the WHO African Region, where only 4.5% of people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
    WHO stressed that Global solidarity and shared responsibility are critical components of the kind of rights-based approach needed end HIV/AIDS and COVID-19.

  • NGO decries Nigeria’s 100,000 daily HIV infection rate

    NGO decries Nigeria’s 100,000 daily HIV infection rate

    A Non Governmental Organisation, NGO, Heartland Alliance have raised an alarm over the scale of HIV infections in Nigeria currently standing at 100,000 per day.

    Mr Micheal Akanji, a resource person made this known at a media round table organised by the organisation and the AVAC 2020/2021 fellowship programme last weekend in Uyo while giving an overview of challenges of HIV prevention in Nigeria.

    Akanji who said that increased budget, improved access to prevention techniques and sustainability options would help to reduce prevention also expressed dissatisfaction over the continued high rating of Akwa Ibom in HIV Prevalence Rating in Nigeria.

    He explained that the country’s mode of transmission has risen to 83% but while the prevelance among the general population stood at 1.4%, that of men who have sex with other men, MSM, has risen to 22.9%, while that of female sex workers, BBFSW at 19.4% and has increased to 2.8% among people staying in correctional centres and other restricted spaces.

    He regretted that government’s continued funding policy and emphasis on treatment of infected persons rather than prevention has been counter productive but expressed hope that with results of recent researches and studies emphasis would soon shift to more funding for prevention.

    Akanji called on stakeholders to increase their advocacy on the area of prevention by discouraging cultural and medical practices which tend to discourage prevention of infection among the populace.

    Speaking on new biomedical prevention nomethods,the anchor of the AVAC 2020/2021 fellowship programme, Ms Josephine Aseme said that limited prevention technology options, low coverages, increased incidences and poor funding as some of the reasons for lack of access to new prevention technologies.

    Aseme stated that the Long-acting injectable Prep remained the most advanced and most potent prevention strategy and involved recieving an injection of the antiretroviral cabotegravir every two months.

    “Results of HPTN 083 released in 2020 showed that this method is safe and effective at reducing HIV risk especially among gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender women.

    “A sister study HPTN 084 also released early results in 2020 showing efficacy among cisgender women. Both are continuing as open label studies while the product undergoes regulatory reviews.” She explained.

    She called on the media to focus more on increased public enlightenment, gender and diversity responses, increased budgetary access to prevention techniques and sustainability options.

    The AVAC 2020/2021 fellowship program is anchored by Josephine Aseme and is a community-centered and policy change advocacy focusing on advocating for Supportive Policy and Programs for effective PrEP and other HIV prevention implementations for Key populations in Nigeria to ensure that proven available HIV prevention options are accessible by all persons at risk of acquiring HIV in Nigeria without cost or any form of stigma.

    However the meeting was aimed at delivering the importance of Government and donor agency commitment in endorsing newly approved and recommended biomedical prevention tools and utilization of media platforms to create awareness of available service delivery points to actualize increased uptake of HIV prevention and testing services for a better coverage.

    It also focused on the importance of GON and donor commitment to a wider array of biomedical prevention options as a game-changer in reducing new infections (Oral PrEP, Dapivirine ring, and injectable PrEP) and investment in community HIV prevention messaging tools across various media platforms and entertainment channels.

  • 80,000 Nigerian children with HIV miss testing, treatment – CISHAN

    80,000 Nigerian children with HIV miss testing, treatment – CISHAN

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    A Faith Based Action for Treatment of Epidemic Response, FBAPTER,  under the auspices of the Civil Society for HIV/AIDS, in Nigeria, CISHAN has disclosed that  at least 80,000 Nigerian children with HIV are missing testing and treatment opportunities as the Federal Government is not even  aware that such children exist. This was revealed by  the Project Director of the NGO, Mr Emeka Anoje in a webinar  Media conference on accelerating of HIV Self Testing in Nigeria with the theme, ” The Role of Professional Association”. According to Anoje, authoritative  surveys has shown that  there is still an estimated 80,000 children living with HIV in Nigeria who are yet to be found. This he said was also gathered from similar information from different HIV treatment programmes in  supposed by donors. He noted that the NGO is working in tandem with other related bodies in the nation in states like Niger,  Rivers, Delta, Nasarrawa, FCT amongst others to carry out HIV Self Testing programmes. Anoje explained that the objective of HIV testing as promised by the NGO allowed an individual , or anybody to collect his or her own specimen, typically an all fluid  and performs  an HIV test in the comfort of their homes I anywhere else. And then interpret the result either alone or with somebody that they trust and there receive information on how to act based on the result, whether positive or negative.” Executive Secretary of Delta State Agency for Control of AIDS who was part of the webinar meeting said that the Delta  State government is supportive  by  providing an enabling environment for partners to operate, adding that there is free treatment for under five children and maternal care for such people. “He however said that before now those living in the Riverine areas did not enjoy sure opportunity but gave the assurance that with the state network when government procures testing equipment it would be made available. FORSTA is funded by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC is working closely with the Nigerian Government to eliminate the barriers to HIV testing and treatment with a focus on children and persons.

  • NACA trains 122 HIV vulnerable persons to reduce new infections

    NACA trains 122 HIV vulnerable persons to reduce new infections

    The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) says 122 indigent People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and vulnerable indigent persons in Oyo State benefited from its just concluded skills acquisition programme.

    The agency’s Director General, Dr Gambo Aliyu, stated this on Monday in Ibadan at the graduation ceremony and presentation of certificate to the beneficiaries of the empowerment and skills acquisition programme.

    The 10-day training initiative taught the HIV vulnerable persons skills which included beautification, hairdressing, makeup, confectionery and body works.

    Aliyu said that the exercise was organised to reduce new HIV infections in line with the UNAIDS strategy to get the HIV epidemic under control by 2030.

    According to him, good means of livelihood for PLHIV translates to effective treatment which helps to suppress the viral load of the virus.

    “We believe that empowering individuals with HIV will give them the opportunity to go to facilities and take medication and access the needed care.

    “We know that we don’t see some persons living with HIV on our treatment list because they cannot even afford the cost of transportation to even go to the facilities and take the drugs.

    “This skills acquisition and empowerment programme enables PLHIV to rise above the stigmatisation and discrimination that deny them from being gainfully employed within the society and seek the needed care.

    “We started this last year with about 130 people in Kaduna and FCT, and now we are expanding it to 250 people in Ibadan and Kano.

    “We are already seeing positive results and we will have good stories to tell by the end of the year,” he said.

    Earlier in her presentation, Dr Yinka Falola-Anoemuah,the Lead, Gender Human Right and Care Services of NACA, said that poverty, gender inequality and disabilities were vulnerabilities which predisposed people to HIV infection.

    According to Falola-Anoemuah, economic empowerment is a viable tool toward achieving SDGs and ending HIV epidemic.

    “Vulnerable and indigent people are very critical if we must meet the global target to end HIV epidemic by 2030.

    “It is important that we take care of holistic needs of PLHIV, People living with Disabilities and other vulnerables in our society.

    “This empowerment programme presents us with the opportunity to meet their needs and support them to have good means of livelihood with which they would be able to take their drugs, live healthy life and have viral suppression.

    “When they have skills with which they can fend and provide for themselves, they would most likely not engage in risky behavior that predisposes them to contracting HIV or spreading the virus to other people, ” she said.

    In her remarks, the wife of the Oyo State governor, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde, lauded the efforts of NACA, describing it as a needed intervention.

    Makinde, represented by the Executive Secretary, Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Lanre Abas, said that empowerment would transform the lives of highly vulnerable persons in the state.

    Mr Eniola Olamilekan, one of the beneficiaries who testified to how the skills acquisition programme they attended had impacted on their lives, urged NACA to expand the programme to accommodate more people in their communities.

    ” Without money in our pockets and food in our bellies, taking drugs on empty stomachs, even though it’s free, will not work,” he said.

    122 benfeciaries were drawn from different support groups, including Association of Women living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Association of Positive Youths Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS and People Living With Disability. (NAN)

  • HIV: FG approves Omega Visitect CD4 Rapid Test Kit

    HIV: FG approves Omega Visitect CD4 Rapid Test Kit

    The Federal Government has approved the evaluation of Omega Visitect Cluster Differentiation Molecule 4 (Omega CD4) Rapid Test Kit to monitor patients living with HIV, responding to Anti-Retroviral Therapy.

    CD4 is a diagnostic device for the detection and monitoring of HIV infection.

    In people with HIV Infection, the CD4 count is one of important laboratory indicators of immune function and predicator of HIV progression.

    Dr Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, disclosed this at the Dissemination Meeting of Omega Visitect CD4 Rapid Test kit Laboratory-Based Evaluation Report and Kit on Friday in Abuja.

    “The Omega Visitect CD4 Rapid Test Kit Performed well in Identifying persons with low CD4 count with a sensitivity of 97.9 per cent.

    “It is noted that the detection of higher CD4 count is poor, with a specificity of 46.4 per cent.

    “The kit, however, meets the requirement to be recommended for use in the National HIV testing algorithm.

    “I hereby officially disseminate the Omega Visitect CD4 Rapid Test Kit Laboratory-Based Evaluation and approve its use in Nigeria,’’ he said.

    According to him, current data indicates that Nigeria has 1.9 million persons infected with HIV and about 1.1 million on Anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

    The minister said in line with the global 90-90-90 targets, there should be 1.71 million people who know their status.

    “This means that up to 600,000 HIV Positive persons need to be identified and tested by December 2020.

    “The second “90” target is to have 1.54 million persons living with HIV/AIDs (PLHIV) on ART by December; this underscores the need for appropriate diagnostic tools,’’ he said.

    The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Abdulaziz Abdullahi, said the dissemination of the testing kit was coming at a time when the ministry was concern about the quality of healthcare.

    The permanent secretary said dissemination of testing kit was also coming at the time when the ministry was concern about effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery.

    “Nigeria has to expand HIV testing algorithm to accommodate the yearning and aspiration of all of us bearing in mind the WHO specifications on sustainability of HIV Testing kits in the country,’’ he said.

    According to him, the major focus of the meeting will be the presentation of Omega Visitect CD4 Rapid Test kit Laboratory-Based Evaluation Report.

    “We hope with the approval from the minister, in addition to other kits, it will make the quality of test kit readily available in the country.’’

    Giving an overview of the report, Mr Manason Rubainu, Chair, Laboratory Evaluation Team, said the overview was necessary to be able to know performance of the device used in laboratory.

    Rubainu said the team did phase one evaluation and got samples from the six geopolitical zones; characterised the testing and used some specimens to evaluate the performance of the test kit.

    “For CD4 testing, it was used to measure if the patient could fight disease or not; it was also used to diagnose advance HIV, depending on CD4 count,’’ he said.

    Mr Majekodunmi Aborode, Nigerian Representative, Omega Diagnostics Limited, assured of the availability of the CD4 testing kit.

    “One of the objectives of the company apart from enriching the health sector in the country is economic aspect of it.

    “I have discussed with the manufacturer if they can bring the technology to Nigeria and they have promised to bring the plant to the country; that is part of the agreement I had with the manufacturer,’’ he said.

    According to him, one Omega Visitect CD4 Rapid Test kit costs six 6 dollars (about N2,160) and it is more avoidable.

    “It is less expensive, it does not require any maintenance, it do not require any electricity; also you will know your count result in 40 minutes.’’

    Similarly, Mr Araoye Segilola, the National Coordinator, National AIDS/STI and Hepatitis Control Programme, said the kit could be used to test other diseases such as Malaria and Tuberculosis in patients living with HIV.

    Segilola, an official of Department of Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, said the kit could also be used to detect the response of patient to medicine.

    The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the 35-page report of Laboratory Evaluation of Omega Visitect CD4 Rapid Test Kit to the minister. (NAN)