The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced that 61,384 individuals living with HIV/AIDS are now receiving treatment across the capital territory.
Adedolapo Fasawe, the mandate secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, revealed this on Monday during a press conference in Abuja to mark the 2024 World AIDS Day.
Fasawe highlighted that this figure represents 223% of the projected number of people living with HIV (PLHIV), including residents migrating from neighboring states. Of the total, 1,048 are children, making up 3.8% of those on life-saving antiretroviral therapy.
Abuja, with an estimated population of 6.95 million, has an HIV prevalence rate of 1.4%, slightly above the national average of 1.3%. The FCTA has strengthened its health sector response by creating a comprehensive network of 122 service delivery points offering antiretroviral drugs across all six Area Councils. Additionally, 285 conventional spoke sites and 37 unconventional community-based care locations ensure remote populations receive necessary support.
To address pediatric HIV, the FCTA has implemented innovative approaches, including mentor mothers who guide pregnant women through care pathways and early infant diagnosis within 72 hours of birth. Traditional birth attendants have been trained on facility births and prevention measures to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Community initiatives like the Mothers’ Love Party and the AP3 Initiative further enhance the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs. The FCTA has also expanded access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), ensuring individuals at risk remain HIV-negative.
Fasawe credited the successes to partnerships with organizations such as the National AIDS and STI Control Programme, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Mothers2Mothers, and other implementing partners. These collaborations have supported efforts in scaling up PMTCT services, decentralizing care, and meeting national HIV targets.
Reaffirming the FCTA’s commitment to ending stigma and discrimination, Fasawe emphasized the need to protect vulnerable populations and ensure that everyone living with HIV has access to quality care and support. She reiterated the administration’s dedication to reaching underserved communities and strengthening the fight against HIV/AIDS in the FCT.
Be the first to comment