Health agency claims recording 98% success in HIV prevention

The Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tubercolosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA) said it had recorded 98 per cent success in its effort at preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to child in the past 11 months.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Mansur Dada, stated this on Thursday while briefing newsmen in Bauchi to mark the 2016 World AIDS Day.

He said that the agency had designated 113 centers across the state for the implementation of programmes on Prevention from Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.

Dada also stated that there was a significant decrease in the state’s HIV/AIDS prevalencerate, dropping from 6.8 per cent in 2000, to 0.6 per cent currently.

He commended the Bauchi State government and all other stakeholders for their commitment to fight the menace of HIV AIDS in the state.

Meanwhile, a Bauchi-based non-governmental organization, Community Initiative for Healthy and Peacxeful Society,on Thursday embarked on free screening of members of the public to mark the AIDS Day.

Coordinator of the organization, Mr Aminu Wagani, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the exercise was conducted at the central motor park of Alkaleri town, about 44km from Bauchi metropolis.

Wagani said 30 people were screened, all of them indicating negative.

He said they also held a street rally and paid an advocacy visit to the palace of the District Head of Alkaleri.