The Kano State government says 32,684 persons living with HIV are receiving free treatment in state-owned facilities where they have access to good quality healthcare services.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, disclosed this during a press briefing to mark the 2024 World Aids Day with the theme “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!”
At the briefing, Dr Labaran revealed that “2,200 people living with HIV, and 600 orphan and vulnerable children were enrolled under the state's contributory healthcare scheme.”
He revealed that another “2,500 people living with HIV are being processed for enrollment, adding that the State Government allocated N2 billion of its total state health budget to combat the transmitted disease.”
According to him, “the state government has revamped its free HIV testing Services (HTS) in its 592 primary healthcare facilities, 43 public secondary facilities and some selected private faculties in the State.”
Dr. Labaran further says 4,274 of 326,831 cases tested this year were positive and are currently receiving treatment.
He added that Kano's Pre-Marital Screening Law & Anti Discrimination Law, signed by Governor Abba Yusuf, has reduced the number of people who test positive for HIV.
“Out of the 94.3% of pregnant women who attended their first ANC visit, only 0.07% were HIV positive," he buttressed.
