The Zamfara state government has established eleven comprehensive sites for HIV services and 62 sites for prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV across the 14 local government areas in the state.
Briefing newsmen on Thursday evening to commemorate the 2022 world HIV Day, the Zamfara state commissioner for health, Aliyu Abubakar MC disclosed that, the state has prevalence of 0.4% and is among states with lowest HIV cases in the country.
“The state government through the ministry of health is making a giant stride toward achieving global epidemic control of HIV/AIDS by the year 2030 through deliberate policies and programmes that curtail the spread of HIV and improve the living conditions of those affected by the disease ” he said.
According to the commissioner who was represented by the permanent secretary, Pharmacist Aliyu Maikiwo said the state ministry of health in its efforts to reposition HIV services, has restructured the state HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer control programs.
He stressed that the Zamfara state agency for the control of AIDS (ZAMSACA) and SASCP are now working closely to ensure effective and efficient HIV services in the state, “the ministry is also providing enabling environment for partners implementing HIV services in the state ” he stated.
He further revealed that global HIV response is in danger, even as it remains a major public health issue that affects millions of people worldwide.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary ZAMSACA, Dr Hussaini Anka said the is available drugs for HIV at all the centres and is free.
Dr Anka maintained that the agency is working to ensure that all couples must under go test before marriage, “a bill to this, is under way, it has even passed first reading at the state house of Assembly”.
In a goodwill message, Mr Alimi Oyindamola of Health system consult limited USAID-ACE 3 Project, Zamfara disclosed that as at December 2021, 6000 were receiving antiretroviral therapy but now it has drop to 4000 across health facilities in the state.
He said 44,000 people were tested in the 14 local government areas of the state and 365 were positive. “as at today we recorded zero transmission in the state”.
He stated that available record has shown that 650,000 people died of HIV related causes globally in 2021.
