Nigeria is currently faced with the an HIV problem and has secured a place as the country with the second highest amount of citizens living with HIV.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS stated that Nigeria has the second largest HIV rate in the world and also has one of the highest new infection rates in sub-Saharan Africa.

It was also disclosed by the acting Public Affairs Officer of the United States Consulate, Kevin Krapf during the commemoration of the 2017 World AIDS day held in Lagos that 720,000 Nigerians are on United States PEPFAR-supported HIV treatment.

He also disclosed that approximately four million Nigerians have received HIV counseling and testing services in 2017 and approximately 50,000 pregnant women have received antiretroviral drugs to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV.

Also Read: The history of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

“Many people living with HIV in Nigeria are unaware of their status due to insufficient recommended number of HIV testing and counselling centres. Low access of antiretroviral treatment remains an issue for people living with HIV in Nigeria, and I welcome the new commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to use domestic funds to provide antiretroviral drugs to an additional 50,000 people living with HIV each year.”

As Kapf thanked the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency for their state campaign with counselling and HIV/AIDS testing through its mobile clinic initiative, he said that the state is aligning with the strategic plan of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

This was the topic of the commemoration which was organised by the consulate in collaboration with the Lagos State University College of Medicine led by the Provost, Professor Babatunde Solagberu.