Bauchi State Government has announced that it is currently providing life-saving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) to 29,874 individuals living with HIV across the state. The disclosure was made during events marking the 2025 World AIDS Day, which also saw the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) take its sensitisation campaign to Keffi in Nasarawa State.
Bauchi's HIV Response and Achievements
The State Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Sani Mohammed Danbam, revealed the figures at a press conference held with development partners. He stated that the state has significantly expanded its healthcare infrastructure to combat the virus.
Dr. Danbam confirmed that Bauchi now has 863 HIV Testing Services and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (HTS/PMTCT) facilities. These centres offer free HIV services to the general population and pregnant women.
Highlighting recent progress, the Commissioner noted that in the current year alone, 2,246 newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals have been successfully placed on antiretroviral treatment. Furthermore, over 650 infants exposed to HIV have achieved a 100% early diagnosis rate and remain free from infection.
Dr. Danbam emphasised that while AIDS remains incurable, it is no longer a death sentence. He pointed out that the disease disproportionately affects society's most vulnerable groups, including the poor, the uneducated, the marginalised, women, and children.
Global Challenges and Local Campaigns
Addressing this year's theme, 'Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response', Danbam warned that progress is under threat. He cited recent funding cuts and other setbacks as major challenges that necessitate a stronger, more resilient approach to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
This sentiment was echoed by the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Diene Keita. Represented in Bauchi by Deborah Tabara, Keita observed that severe cuts in international aid are destabilising HIV prevention efforts, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Keita disclosed that nearly 2.5 million people have lost access to life-saving pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) due to shrinking resources, with many countries recording half of last year's new infections.
In a parallel event in Nasarawa State, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) organised a roadshow and health talk in Keffi. The State Coordinator, Dr. Ibrahim Bichi, stated that the campaign is crucial for combating HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
Dr. Bichi revealed that Nasarawa State has an HIV prevalence rate of 2.0 per cent, with an estimated 23,306 patients requiring treatment. He said the commemoration aims to promote awareness, prevention, testing, and care while showing solidarity with those impacted.
Commitment to Expanded Services and Wellness
AHF's Medical Director, Emmanuel Neabueze, announced that the organisation is intensifying its daily campaign towards eliminating the virus by 2030. He stated that AHF is deliberate in its campaign for treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and promoting general wellness.
"AHF is determined to provide seamless and accessible STIs services to the people," Neabueze said. "We are also working on establishing a wellness centre in Nasarawa State, following the ones in Benue and Abuja."
Other stakeholders, including the Director of Primary Health Care in Keffi, Dogara Danjum, and representatives from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Young Peoples Programme (YPP), emphasised the need for continuous collaboration and community education to address the challenges of STIs and HIV/AIDS effectively.
