The Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Professor John Idoko has revealed that Kafanchan, the headquarters of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State is leading in HIV/AIDS prevalence in the state.
Idoko, who made this known at a free medical check, including HIV/AIDS screening conducted by NACA in Kafanchan, said the programme is aimed at ensuring that 80 million Nigerians are tested.
Represented by Dr. Daniel Ndukwe, the NACA boss noted that the test and medication are free just as he enjoined people in the area to ensure that they are tested.
He said: “This is a medical outreach in line with the president’s plan for 80 million Nigerians to be tested. We organised this programme here because HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is high in Kafanchan”.
He added that anyone, who tests positive, will be given drugs.
Speaking in similar vein, Permanent Secretary in the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Dr. Paul Dogo, who represented the Kaduna State governor, Ramalan Yero, said the campaign against HIV/AIDS will continue until it is eradicated.
“We will fight the scourge with all our arsenals to ensure a final blow to HIV/AIDS. Traditional rulers and individuals should mobilise the people for the test. I want to use this opportunity to call on the people of the state to live in peace,” Dogo said.
Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Agency for the Control of Aids (KADSACA) Patrick Katuka, said the rate of HIV/AIDS in the state has now dropped from 7.69 per cent to five per cent.
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