Global infection rate falls
CHAIRMAN, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM), Dr. Haruna Kigbu urged the private sector to contribute to funding HIV interventions stressing that government could not do it alone.
He urged of support of the National Assembly in getting the Anti-Stigma Bill passed, noting that the bill had scaled through first reading and that the remaining processes would soon be concluded for onward transmission to the Senate for action.
The Borno commissioner commissioner spoke at the weekend in Maiduguri in a statement to mark HIV/AIDS Day. She stressed the need for greater "awareness and sensitisation" among stakeholders, traditional and religious leaders on the dangers of not patronizing the 13 Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART) centres.
Salam disclosed that the infection rate in the state stood at 5.6 per cent, the total number of PLWHA is 16, 521, out of which only 10, 142 patients or 41 per cent have access to treatments at the ART centres, including the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).
In his message to mark the 2012 World AIDS day on over the weekend, the UN scribe said: "Let us commit to build on and amplify the encouraging successes of recent years to consign HIV/AIDS to the pages of history".
"The number of people accessing life-saving treatment rose by 60 per cent and new infections have fallen by half in 25 countries – 13 of them in sub-Saharan Africa" Ban noted.
According to a 2012 report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), there has been more than 50 per cent drop in HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have dropped by a quarter since 2005.
December 1st every year, the World AIDS day events take place across the world to raise awareness and show support for people living with HIV.
The World AIDS Day celebrated across the world brings together people to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the deadly disease.
