NAN-H-20
Test
By Mercy Osajiugo
Minna, Nov. 30, 2016 (NAN) The Niger Ministry of Health on Wednesday said it spent
N20 million to procure HIV testing kits for residents.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Mustapha Jibril, disclosed this at a news
conference in Minna to mark the Dec. 1 World AIDS Day which had “Hands up for HIV Prevention” as its theme for this year.
Jibril said the procurement of the testing kits was a continuous move toward universal access to HIV counseling and testing.
He added that the theme for this year was apt and called for collaboration among stakeholders for increased testing.
He, however, noted that “Niger experienced progressive decline in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS from 6.2 per cent in 2008 to 1.2 per cent in 2014, the lowest in North Central Zone.
“This great achievement is the result of the combined effort of the state government, partners and other stakeholders.”
The commissioner noted that the ministry had concluded assessment of 145 primary healthcare centres, in line with the state government’s health policy.
He explained that the aim was to scale-up the prevention of mother to child transmission
of the virus in the 274 wards of the state.
He said access to treatment was the crux of a new global target aimed at ending AIDS epidemics as public health threat by 2030.
He noted that stigmatisation and discrimination had remained enormous barriers to effective prevention and control measures.
“Quite a number of individuals still have difficulties in disclosing their HIV status due to the fear of rejection and economic exclusion,” he said
He said this posed a threat to the ‘90-90-90’ global target.
Jibril further said that the state had reenergised its capacity to detect and treat tuberculosis with support from partners as three thirds of AIDS related deaths were caused by tuberculosis. (NAN)
MNO/CEO/HA
============
Edited by Chidi Opara/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu