Bauchi State is providing treatment to 29,874 people living with HIV, Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Sani Mohammed Danbam, has revealed.
Danbam made the disclosure at a press briefing to mark World AIDS Day.
According to him, the state has scaled up HIV services to 863 facilities, offering free testing and treatment for both the general population and pregnant women.
“This year, 2,246 newly diagnosed people started antiretroviral therapy, and over 650 HIV-exposed infants have remained free from infection,” he said.
He assured that while AIDS is still incurable, it no longer has to be a death sentence, especially with early treatment.
DAILY POST reports that this year’s World AIDS Day theme, ‘Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response’, highlights setbacks caused by funding cuts and other challenges.
Danbam said it reminds stakeholders to strengthen healthcare systems and focus on rights-based approaches to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Also speaking, the UNFPA Executive Director, Diene Keita, represented by Deborah Tabara in Bauchi, warned that cuts in international aid are threatening decades of progress.
“Nearly 2.5 million people have lost access to lifesaving HIV prevention, and countries with rising infections are hardest hit,” she said.
Keita stressed that addressing stigma, gender inequality, and integrating HIV services into routine reproductive healthcare is crucial for protecting women and children.
“Thanks to the combined efforts of governments, international organizations, and communities, nearly 27 million lives have been saved. Now, we must finish the job and build an AIDS-free future,” she concluded.
Word AIDS Day: Bauchi treats 30,000 HIV patients
