Kano state records 4,728 new HIV infections in 2023

The Kano State government says no fewer than 4,728 persons tested positive for HIV in 2023 in the state.

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The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran disclosed this on Friday while delivering a speech at the commemoration of this year’s World AIDS Day with with the theme, “Let Communities Lead.”

According to him, a total of 46,732 persons are living with the disease and receiving treatment in the state.

The state has improved its strategies to halt mother-to-child transmission of HIV by successfully conducting tests for 95 per cent of all pregnant women during their first antenatal care visit, out of which only 0.04 per cent are found positive.

“We have tested a total of 138,430 people for HIV and found 4,728 positive and have successfully initiated new 4,140 HIV-infected persons on ART from January 2023 to date.

“Currently the state has 46,732 people living with HIV receiving treatment.

“We have improved our strategies to halt mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS by successfully conducting HIV testing for 95 percent of all pregnant women during their first ANC visit, out of which only 0.04 percent turned HIV positive,” the commissioner stated.

He also said that, for the first time, Kano State has achieved the HIV budget target of three per cent of the total health budget in the Appropriation Bill submitted to the Kano state Assembly.

On his part the Director General of the State Agency for Control of AIDS, Dr Usman Bashir, said the agency has brought on board 600 persons living with AIDS to benefit from the free healthcare service package introduced by the state government.

“Most of the beneficiaries are children of those who died of HIV, as well as those children living with the disease,” he said.

World AIDS Day celebrated on December 1 every year since 1988 is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who’ve died of the disease.

The World Health Organisation says World AIDS Day is an opportunity to reflect on the progress made to date, raise awareness about the challenges that remain to achieve the goals of ending AIDS by 2030 and mobilise all stakeholders to jointly redouble efforts to ensure the success of the HIV response.