The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that between 2015 to 2021, Nigeria has recorded a 22 per cent decrease in new Human Immunodeficiency Virus infections in the country.
According to WHO, 90% of people living with HIV now have access to HIV treatment in the country.
While making this known in a tweet via it’s verified Twitter page on Friday, WHO tweeted, “In Nigeria, 90% of people living with HIV now have access to treatment.
“95% of people living with HIV knew their status in 2021.
“90% of people living with HIV accessed treatment in 2021.
Truthlive.net reports that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the white blood cells called CD4 cells.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
The organization via an article on its website, said back in 2018, the country, which has the third highest burden of HIV cases, was struggling with an ineffective response characterised by poor data quality, low service coverage and sub-optimal coordination and ownership.
“Recognising the need for change, the Government embraced a catch-up plan, devised by WHO to fast-track finding people living with HIV and putting them on treatment in states that contribute more than 50 per cent of the national unmet treatment needs.
“WHO provided guidance on setting up an HIV ‘situation room’ for coordinating commodities logistics and distributing HIV drugs, ultimately improving service points and patients’ retention in care. A clinical HIV mentorship programme for facility health workers strengthened service delivery and equity in care,” it said.
Similarly, it explained that the coverage of HIV treatment in Nigeria in 2021 was around 90 per cent, up from 50 per cent in 2015, when only about 61 per cent of the population knew their status.
The health organization however added that new infections are on a downward trend, from 95,000 in 2015 to 74,000 in 2021.