World Aids Day: Yobe, AHNi Manage Over 8,000 PLHIV

YOSACA Boss, Ali Kime(middle) with partners briefing the press on World Aids Day in Damaturu

 From JOE Hemba

 Despite the global challenges in the funding of the HIV programs, Yobe state Government with the assistance of Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative(AHNi) has been able to manage over 8,000 People Living with the HIV virus in the state. 

The Executive Director Yobe State Agency for the Control of Aids(YOSACA), Alhaji Ali Kime disclosed this yesterday at a press briefing to mark the commemoration of the World Aids Day in Damaturu, Yobe State. 

This years’ theme for celebration is Equalise to End Aids by 2030.

Mr. Kime said the collaboration of AHNi has helped the state to keep alive the 7 ART sites in the state which has over the years maintained 8,264 PLHIV in the state. 

Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNi) is an indigenous non-¬profit affiliate organization of Family Health International (FHI 360), registered in Nigeria in 2009. 

It aims to provide technical assistance to the government and people of Nigeria in the implementation of public health and development programs. 

“It is worthy to mention that, with the collaboration of our only implementation partner-AHNi, we were able to successfully maintain 8,264 PLHIV in care across the 7 ART sites in the state,” Kime said. 

He highlighted “inadequate funding” and “inadequate budgetary release” as the biggest challenges facing the agency. 

According to him, Yobe State is ranked as one of the states with the second least prevalence rates in the Federation with 0.45%, just as the Northeast has a prevalence rate of 1.1%. 

He attributed community based testing of of couples before marriage and the national  policy of self testing as some of the factors that contributed to the low spread of the virus. 

Alhaji Kime pointed out the significance of the World Aids Day to include; raise awareness about HIV/AIDS pandemic, commensurate with people infected and affected, give hope and honor for those living with the virus and also unite on the fight against the epidemic.

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