Rivers
Rivers HIV/AIDS Prevalence To Reduce Soon – Programme Manager
There are indications that the current HIV/AIDS prevalence in Rivers State of 3.8% will futher be reduced in 2024, according to the Programme Manager for the Rivers State AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Contract Programme, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ufuoma Edewor.
Edewor, who disclosed this recently in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, hinted that Rivers State is taking precautionary measures to ensure a reduction in the State’s HIV prevalence.
She noted that the last HIV/AIDS survey carried out by the Nigeria Impact and Indicator Survey (NAIIS) in 2018, the result of which was released in 2019, placed Rivers State as the third highest in prevalence in the country at 3.8%, but that since then a lot has been done in the State to further bring down the prevalence in the State.
She further noted that before the 2018 NAIIS survey, Rivers State had 15.2% prevalence.
“There’s a significant reduction even though we’re above the national prevalence rate of 1.4%.
“Rivers State has 3.8%, but we’re very certain that by the next survey, most likely next year, we’re very certain that the prevalence on Rivers State would have come down significantly”, she stated
She explained that part of why reduction in HIV prevalence is expected in Rivers State is the fact that there’s an increase in suppression of the HIV virus among people living positively.
“We have over 87% of those that are taking these (HIV) drugs in whom the virus is suppressed.
“What this means is that when they go for the HIV test, because the test we routinely do is a test of anti-bodies, but because the quantity of the virus present is so suppressed, they do not mount that anti-bodies. That’s why some times it appears like self-converted to negative.
“When the virus is suppressed, they are not able to transmit. So, we believe that the transmission would have been reduced. It is possible that we would have a significant reduction in the prevalence”, she explained.
Dr. Edewor, therefore, called on people to come out enmass to join in the HIV campaign in the State, noting that on a weekly basis, over 4000 HIV tests are carried out across the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.
Speaking on the expected reduction in HIV prevalence in the State, the Programme Director, Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN), Rivers State, Dr. Stanley Idakwo, said the institute had worked collaboratively with key stakeholders to ensure an increase in people on treatment.
“IHVN came into Rivers State in 2019, and in collaboration with all stakeholders, with support from Rivers State Government, and we have been able to work collaboratively since 2019.
“We started the program with just about 24,000 people on treatment. So far, we can confirm that over 80% of clients who are infected know their status and are currently on treatment in the State”, he said.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo