The State Team Lead of the Society for Family Health, Alhaji Abdulsamad Salihu, said Jigawa State has the lowest number of HIV cases in Nigeria.
The team lead made the disclosure in his speech delivered during the handover of the HIV/AIDS prevention and control programme to the Society for Family Health after three health intervention projects in the state.
The event was witnessed by the state’s Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Action Committee on HIV/AIDS (SACA), Eng. Aminu Usman Gumel, in his office.
Salihu noted, “Jigawa is the least with the number of HIV cases in Nigeria, with about 0.3% of its population affected.”
Alhaji Abdulsamad Salihu described the government’s commitment and support to the State AIDS Control Agency (SACA), organisations, and partners on HIV/AIDS control as the bedrock for reducing the disease to this level.
Salihu emphasized the need to continue working with “Key Populations (KP)” to combat the spread of the disease and achieve the universal health target by 2030.
“We must keep identifying and engaging them to eradicate HIV prevalence in the state,” he added.
Earlier, the Program Manager of the Jigawa State HIV/AIDS Control Agency (SACA), Mal. Ibrahim Almajiri, said they were in the office of the Deputy Governor to update him and the state.
The Heartland Alliance is one of the senior partners in the state and has worked for about three years, rounding up its programme and handing it over to the Society for Family Health to continue. Almajiri appreciated the cooperation given to them during their stay and handling of the programme.
He maintained that currently, about 1,700 individuals are on life-saving ART treatment, and all these achievements were made with the support of the state government.
In his response, the Chairman of the Jigawa State HIV Prevention and Control Committee and Deputy Governor of the state, Eng. Aminu Usman Gumel, said the number of HIV victims in the state has been reduced to the barest minimum level due to the government’s commitment and teamwork with all stakeholders.
The Deputy Governor noted that Heartland Alliance LTD/GTE has played a significant role in curbing the prevalence of HIV in the state by providing health intervention services in Jigawa for three years.
Engr. Aminu expressed profound gratitude to the government and good people of Jigawa State and wished the team success in their future endeavours.
While welcoming the collaboration with the Society for Family Health, he assured them of the state government’s readiness for a robust partnership.
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