OVER 50,000 PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN KOGI, SAYS KOSACA. (PHOTO).

 Over 50,000 People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kogi, Says KOSACA

The Acting Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KOSACA), Ibrahim Anate, has revealed that more than 50,000 people are currently living with HIV/AIDS in Kogi State. He made the disclosure during the 2024 World AIDS Day commemoration in Lokoja, organized by the Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP) in partnership with KOSACA.

Anate stated that 36,066 individuals in the state are currently on treatment, noting that efforts are ongoing to raise awareness about HIV in communities, especially in hard-to-reach areas of Kogi. He highlighted the state government’s commitment, under Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, to ensuring people living with HIV/AIDS receive treatment and that HIV-positive pregnant women give birth to HIV-negative babies.

"The current administration is also working hard to ensure that people who are HIV-positive in Kogi State eventually become HIV-negative," he said. "The government is providing support to KOSACA and the Ministry of Health to extend the campaign to even the most remote communities."

Anate acknowledged that security challenges in certain parts of the state make it difficult for some HIV patients to access treatment, and he appealed to Governor Ododo to assent to the recently passed Anti-Stigma HIV law. This law, he said, would give people living with HIV/AIDS the confidence to disclose their status without fear of societal stigma.

Inyama Lawrencia, Kogi State Technical Lead for the Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP), also spoke on the transmission of HIV from mother to child in the state. She emphasized the importance of antenatal care, urging mothers to get tested for HIV.

"We have been sensitizing women in the communities to ensure they know their HIV status," Lawrencia said. "One of the challenges is that financial constraints prevent some women from seeking antenatal care to know their status."

Both speakers stressed the importance of continued efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and provide support for those affected in Kogi State.