HIV/AIDS: 3.8% Prevalence, Realistic

Amidst the enphoria over the reduction of HIV/AIDS prevalence from 15.2% to 3.8% in Rivers State, indications are rife that the current survery is the most realistic ever achieved in the State.
Making this known in an exclusive interview, the Director, Public Health, Rivers State Ministry of Health (RSMOH), Dr Golden Owhonda, said this is mostly because the report is closest to what the ministry has in its data.
We are very excited that we can see the real value on HIV Prevalence ( in Rivers State). This (3.8%) is very close to what we have in our data,’’ he said.
While noting that comparing numbers may hardly be of, Owhonda said the important thing now would actually be to focus on the job at hand in order to better the current prevalence.
‘’We don’t want to dwell on comparison that would most likely take away the focus of what we do. This is because even if the prevalence was 1%, it will be a call for national action’’, he said.
Owhonda, who emphasized that the present survey which was carried out by the Nigeria HIV/AIDS indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) in conjuction with the Rivers State Government and the Federal Government at large is the best ever, noting that it has edged the country closer to achieving the Vision 90, 90, 90, target by the Joint United Nations Programeon HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS).
“ Even for the country (Nigeria), the new prevalence value has dropped closer than ever towards the targets of achiving vision 90,90,90.
“As a matter of fact, the rest of the world is excited that Nigeria seems to be a huge landmark in achieving the 90, 90, 90 target, especially given the fact that we are closer than ever in achieving the targets’’, Dr Owhonda concluded.
The Vision 90,90,90 target, which was set by the UNAIDS aims to ensure that by 2030, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagriosed HIV inroviral therapy, and 90 % of all people renewing Ariti-refrovweil will have viral suppression.

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