Ogun State’s HIV Prevalence Rate Surpasses National Average

By: Emmanuel Ibitoye

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has expressed concern over Ogun State’s high HIV prevalence rate, which stands at 1.6%, exceeding the national average of 1.4% and the South West’s 1.2%.

This disturbing trend was highlighted during NACA’s Director General, Mrs. Temitope Ilori’s, advocacy visit to Ogun State.

According to Mrs. Ilori, despite progress in the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT), Nigeria still faces significant challenges, with pediatric HIV coverage standing at 33%, far below the 95% target. The UNAIDS 2023 report reveals alarming statistics: approximately 140,000 children aged 0-14 live with HIV, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurring annually.

Ogun State’s Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, acknowledged the state’s critical HIV prevalence rate and praised NACA’s efforts. The commissioner emphasized the importance of capturing HIV-positive children to reduce mother-to-child transmission. “We’re hoping that by 2030, there could be a generation that is HIV-free,” Coker stated.

To combat the rising prevalence, NACA urges stakeholders to partner in creating a comprehensive list of HIV-positive children, crucial for accelerating the pediatric ART program. The federal government also aims to create an environment for achieving the goal of ending AIDS as a public health issue by 2030.

Moreover, the Ogun State government has upgraded health facilities and provided anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in selected sites, increasing from 22 in 2019 to 28 in 2023. However, more work is required to address the state’s high prevalence rate, particularly in Ijebu Ode, which records the highest prevalence rate of 5%, followed by Abeokuta at 2.7%.