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New NHIS Boss reiterates commitment to quality healthcare for Nigerians

New NHIS Boss reiterates commitment to quality healthcare for Nigerians

By Talatui Maiwada

NHIS

Abuja, Sept. 4, 2019 (NAN) Prof. Mohammed Sambo, the Newly appointed Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has reiterated his commitment to developing an efficient system that would ensure maximum enrolee satisfaction.

Sambo made the commitment at a two-day NHIS Strategic Engagement with Enrolees and Healthcare Provider’s Forum on Wednesday in Abuja.

NAN recalls that Sambo assumed office as the 12th executive secretary of the scheme on July 15.

He said enrolees were the first he would engage since he assumed office, adding that if they were not happy and satisfied with services; the aim of health insurance would be defeated.

“I want to urge you to keep faith with the new management under my leadership, I assure you of my profound commitment in providing an efficient system that will ensure maximum enrolee satisfaction during my stewardship.

“The enrolees under my management will be given desired attention and priority because the essence of health insurance is to improve health, quality of life and well-being of Nigerians.

“This will be done through a mechanism that ensures cost effectiveness and easy access to qualitative healthcare service delivery.

Sambo said the objective of the forum was to interact with enrolees to get first-hand information of their experiences since joining the scheme, especially those in the line of service provision.

According to him, enrolees are the end users of healthcare services, so it is pertinent that they express their challenges and experiences in the process of receiving treatment from healthcare facilities.

He stated that getting feedback from enrolees would help actualise his vision of running the scheme on the wheels of empirical and verifiable evidences.

Sambo stressed that the meeting would create a platform for enrolees to not only highlight their problems, but would proffer solutions that would be factored into developing a ten year strategic plan for the scheme.

He listed various stakeholders of scheme to include the NHIS, Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), The Network of Providers, International Organisations, Employers of Labour, and the enrolees.

“Within the Health insurance scheme, we have the employees who are the enrolees, who also are the direct beneficiaries of the service.

“These are the people which the scheme was established for, they are the most important and critical stakeholders among all the stakeholders,’’ he stated.

According to him, his plans are in line with the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the global agenda of achieving universal health coverage for all by the year 2030. (NAN)

TIM/DOR
=======

Edited by Nyisom Fiyigon Dore

General news

FG committed to scale up response to drug abuse epidemic

FG committed to scale up response to drug abuse epidemic
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Drug
Abuja, March 7, 2019 (NAN) Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, has said the Federal Government was commitment to scale up its response to drug abuse epidemic and rehabilitation of victims.
Abubakar said this when some members of the Queens College Old Girls Association, Northern chapter, visited her on Thursday in Abuja.
She noted that drug abuse had become a major public health and security challenge in Nigeria, saying it placed a significant threat to the social, health, economic fabric of the family and the productivity of the nation at large.
“The most recent statistics on Drug and Crime Use in Nigeria in February 2019 (report by United Nations Office) indicates that addictiveness to illicit and prescriptive drugs cut across all ethnicities, social groups, gender and age, and rate burden of drug use is on the increase in Nigeria.
“The high incidence of drug use by increasing numbers of women and children is most worrisome as these results in broken marriages, dysfunctional homes and an increase in social vices.
“These challenges are pointers to the fact that the drug epidemic is now a national emergency that calls for concerted efforts and collaborative action by all,” the minister said.
She said that most women and children affected are afraid to report or give information because they may be ridiculed, stigmatised or isolated.
Abubakar said the ministry was open to work with committed stakeholders who can join in the efforts to stop the negative tide.
Earlier, the President of the Association, Hajiya Fatima Betara, said that drug and substances abuse as well as addiction were serious epidemic particularly in the North.
She said research had shown that women particularly were turning to drugs to cope with social issues and divorce, abuse and depression, among others.
“The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative were derived from the mission of the main association to positively affect our immediate communities and country at large.
“The chapter recognises that government cannot do it all alone and requires the contribution of its citizenry who are poised and ready to contribute to national development.
“Being gender focused, we have decided to target on women, the girl child and other similar issues,” Betara said. (NAN)
OEO/AOS/MST
Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Sokoto Govt restates commitment to improve healthcare services

Sokoto Govt restates commitment to improve healthcare services
By Muhammad Nasir Bello
Services
Sokoto, Dec. 10, 2018 (NAN) The Sokoto State Government has restated its commitment towards improving hospital services in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ali Inname, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Sokoto that the government was aware of all the challenges facing state-owned hospitals and was always ready to resolve them.
“’Sokoto State Government is always and will continue to remain committed in improving healthcare facilities across all the government hospitals in the state.
‘“We will work together with all our facility managers in this exercise as a team to ensure all required facilities are equipped and available in the hospitals.
‘“We have noticed so many issues that need to be addressed but we will have to work together to see how we can speedily improve all hospital services within our domain,” he said.
According to him, the state Ministry of Health will continue to ensure routine maintenance and general services in all the hospitals across the state.
Inname therefore called on the health facility managers to ensure prudence and efficiency in patients’ healthcare services as well as the management of the hospitals.
He commended members of staff for their dedication and commitment in managing the environment with the little resources available to them and called for its sustainability. (NAN)
BMN/FF/MST
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Mrs Buhari reaffirms commitment to reduce maternal, infant mortality

Mrs Buhari reaffirms commitment to reduce maternal, infant mortality
By Ahmed Ubandoma
Commitment
Abuja, Nov. 14, 2018 (NAN) The Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has reaffirmed her commitment and advocacy to reduce the negative effect of maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement issued by her Director of Information, Mr Suleiman Haruna, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The statement quoted Mrs Buhari, who was represented by wife of former Military Administrator of Katsina State, Mrs Grace Chamah, at a workshop for Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) in Edo.
She called on the wives of state governors to take advantage of the workshop and impact on the lives of women and children in their respective states.
“As wives of governors and chief advocates for Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) in your states, you need to be equipped.
“And better informed about the contextual terrains and workable solutions to problems that have contributed to giving us the poor indices in Nigeria,’’ she said.
Mrs Buhari however charged stakeholders to make concerted effort towards reducing the high rate of mortality among women and children.
She said: “No state is free from maternal and child deaths hence the need for stakeholders to take strategic action to check the menace.’’
She reiterated the commitment of her NGO, Aisha Buhari Foundation and Future Assured Programme, to contribute towards accelerating efforts to address Maternal, New born and Child deaths through advocacy and action.
“One of these actions is the training workshop, which has now been held in all the geopolitical zones of the country.
“This advocacy training holding in Benin City is the last of the trainings held in the six geopolitical zones and I hope that the results will reverberate nationwide,” Mrs Buhari said. (NAN)
AMU/MUYI/MST
Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Retirement: DSP tasks officers, civil servants on hard work, dedication

Retirement: DSP tasks officers, civil servants on hard work, dedication
By Awayi Kuje
Commitment
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Sept. 25, 2018 (NAN) Mr Kudusa Zawu, a retiring Deputy Superintendent of Police (DPS) with Keffi Area Command, Nasarawa State, has advised his colleagues and civil servants to be hard working and shun corruption in their duties.
Zawu gave the advised in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Keffi.
He also enjoined public servants to show more dedication and commitment to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
Besides, he advised security agents and civil servants to desist from any form of evil practice in order to retire peacefully and successfully from service into private life.
The out-going officer, who noted that hard work pays, urged those he is leaving behind to remain prayerful at all time in their places of their primary assignment.
“Let all officers and other workers depend on God; you must discharge your duties without fear or favour for God’s protection and for you to retire peacefully without any hitches,’’ he said.
Zawu, however, thanked God for sustaining and protecting him throughout his 35 years of service in the force.
“I want to use this medium to thank God Almighty for sustaining and protecting me throughout the 35 years I served the Nigeria Police Force.
“Some of our colleagues that we joined this work together are no more alive, some of them died while discharging their responsibilities.
“May their souls rest in peace; I want to advise my colleagues and other civil servants who are still serving to depend on God.
“I encourage them all to be hard working, to be dedicated to their duties and shun sharp practices in order to retire peacefully,” he said.
Zawu urged Nigerians to pray for security agents and other civil servants for God’s safety and wisdom to enable them succeed in discharging their duties.
The retiring officer wished those still in service God`s protection and guidance in their endeavours.
He further called on Nigerians to be law abiding, respect constituted authorities, live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation.
According Zawu, his retirement prayers and thanks giving ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 30 at the Police Area command Headquarters, Keffi. (NAN)
AKW/VOE/MST
Edited by Vivian Emoni/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NAN commits to raise awareness on reproductive healthcare

UNFPA seeks media support on reproductive healthcare
By Talatu Maiwada
Partnership
Abuja, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) Dr Mabingue Ngom, the Regional Director, West and Central Africa Office, has called on journalists to support and promote reproductive healthcare and demographic dividend issues for national development.
Ngom made the appeal during a visit to the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
He solicited for a stronger partnership between UNFPA and media organisations to engage with stakeholders such as religious and traditional leaders in addressing issues of population in the country.
“The Millennium Development Goal recognises partnership and has been elevated in the 17th goal, so we recognise partnership as an objective that will help us reach out to different places we can’t go.
“It is important for organisations like the UNFPA and the News Agency of Nigeria to partner and engage local and traditional leaders in the country.
“This will go a long way in avoiding some of the misunderstandings, mis-interpretations and confusion among the larger communities.
“We have a vital role to play if we must make progress in Nigeria before 2030, because there is no way Africa can succeed and Nigeria does not succeed.
“We cannot have a better world without a better Africa,’’ he added.
Responding, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the Managing Director of NAN, pledged the agency’s commitment in raising awareness on UNFPA’s transformative agenda, including delivery of Demographic Dividend (DD) in the country.
Onanuga also promised to raise public awareness on the three key three key thematic areas of UNFPA; namely: ending maternal deaths, unmet needs on Family Planning (FP) and Child Spacing (CS) and Gender Based Violence (GBV) in line with SDGs 2030.
He said that NAN was committed in ensuring a strong partnership with the organisation in championing the interest of women, girls and young persons in the country.
He stated that due to the importance of reproductive healthcare issues, the agency had designated a specialised desk that addresses the issues of women and children.
“Part of your mandate in UNFPA is concerned with delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, where every child birth is safe and every young person’s potential will show.
“Our agency is committed to all UNFPA stands for and all your campaigns on reproductive healthcare.
“Following the mandate of your organisation is something any news organisation would definitely like to partner with,’’ he said.
Onanuga noted that NAN was the right media to partner with as it has offices in all parts of the country with no fewer than 500 journalists.
He said that most media organisations subscribe to NAN for news text, pictures, audio and video clips, adding that some subscribers translate NAN news into local languages for local communities.
The managing director expressed the agency’s desire to deepen relationship with UNFPA in addressing issues of demographic dividend, population growth and reproductive healthcare.
Also speaking, Mr Mohammed Tola, the Head of Health and Gender Desk of NAN, appreciated the partnership and intervention of UNFPA in the provision of operational equipment to the agency.
However, Tola called on UNFPA to scale up its funding and technical support to the agency in order to build a robust relationship to enable NAN deliver better services.
“The funding support has drastically dropped from N10 million in 2015 to about N3.6 million this year, which is yet to be accessed.
“This is adversely affecting our working relationship.
“From January this year till date we have covered and published not less than 30 of UNFPA’s intervention activities across the country from the three approved in our agreed Annual Work Plan (AWP).
“`We therefore call for a scale up in funds to strengthen our partnership towards effective delivery of services to UNFPA,’’ he said. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Health officials reiterate commitment on HIV/AIDS response

Health officials reiterate commitment on HIV/AIDS response
By Talatu Maiwada
HIV/AIDS
Abuja, Sept. 3, 2018 (NAN) The Cross River Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong, and other State Health Officials, have reaffirmed their commitment to support and scale up funding in HIV and AIDS response.
They renewed their various commitments at the 2018 stakeholders’ strategic review meeting on HIV/AIDS, organised by AIDS Health Care Foundation (AHF), on Monday in Abuja.
Asibong said the state has designed a sustainability road map for HIV and AIDS response to ensure that every aspect of the programme was adequately funded.
“The HIV prevalence rate in Cross River has declined from 12 per cent in 2003 to 6.6 per cent currently; this has been made possible by the government and support from AHF and our partners.
“The state has also commenced its Domestic Resource Mobilisation due to the dwindling funds by international donors and has increased its health budget from 3.5 per cent to 10 per cent this year.
“The state also has budget line for HIV and AIDS, this is important because some persons living with the virus are indigent, and it is our responsibility to care for them,’’ Asibong said.
She commended the effort of AHF as a credible partner providing free HIV and AIDS services and media advocacy in the state.
On his part, Dr Humphery Okoroukwu, Director Public Health, Health and Human Services Secretariat, FCT, commended the Administration as well as AHF for their immense support to HIV/AIDS in the FCT.
Okoroukwu said that AHF are presently working in 17 health facilities in five Area Councils across the FCT, with about 3,620 clients in care and 3,496 clients in treatment.
Dr Jonathan Terna-Kur, Director Public Health, Benue Ministry of Health, said that the Fast Track Initiative by the federal government to place 100,000 clients on treatment was a laudable one.
He said the project which commenced in 2017, was to increase the number of clients on treatment who have tested positive in order to reduce the prevalence of HIV in the country.
Terna-Kur added the state has a prevalence rate of 15.4 per cent, while appreciating AHF for its immense and consistent support over the years in providing free HIV/AIDS services in the state.
Mr Eric Akoji, Kogi AIDS Programme Coordinator, said the state government has made commitment to partners and was providing an enabling environment for stakeholders to ensure that HIV/AIDS programme was sustained.
Akoji explained that key stakeholders in the state have established an HIV fund to raise requisite funds through individuals and organisations.
He said the fund would be invested through a sustainable plan to push the AIDS response.
Dr Uchechukwu Onyejimbe, Director, Public Health and Diseases Control, Anambra Ministry of Health, affirmed that the impact of AHF work in providing free HIV services has helped in the decline of its prevalence.
“Presently, AHF is our dominant partner in the state, and we commend them for their consistent commitment in providing care for our people.
“Our sustainability plan for the state has been clearly stated; currently we have increased our health budget from 30 million to 300 million, part of which will fund the HIV response.
“We will also ensure there is no gap in providing drugs, maintaining health facilities, training of health personnel.
“The effort will help build the capacity for a sustainable HIV response in the state,’’ Onyejimbe said. (NAN)
TIM/VOE/MST
Edited by Vivian Emoni/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

U.S. commits $5.1bn to HIV/AIDs, reiterates support to ending scourge in Nigeria

U.S. commits $5.1bn to HIV/AIDs, reiterates support to ending scourge in Nigeria
By Isaac Aregbesola
Commitment
Abuja, July 5, 2018 (NAN) The United States says it has committed more than $5.1 billion to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria through its President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The U.S. Charge d’ Affaires, David Young, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the opening of a photo exhibition to commemorate PEPFAR’s 15th Anniversary in Nigeria.
“Since 2003 the PEPFAR has transformed lives through access to life saving HIV prevention treatment services. American people have kept this commitment over the past 15 years.
“Today our global commitments stand at 72.7 billion dollars, combating what has been described as the worst human scourge in history.
“In Nigeria we have committed more than five billion dollars to the fight against HIV/AIDS since the inception of PEPFAR,” he said.
He reiterated the commitment of the U.S. government to collaborating with the Federal Government in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“By pushing ahead together, we can control an epidemic for which there is no vaccine or cure. We are closer than we have ever been before.
“The fight against HIV/ AIDS is a joint campaign, we have worked together in partnership and we will continue with this in future.
“The effort that we have made in the fight is a triumphant effort, this is live-saving worth and live-saving efforts in the last 15 years,” he said.
According to him, U.S. government has achieved encouraging results, reaching millions of Nigerians all over the country, such as providing antiretroviral treatment for those infected with HIV.
He said that this included pregnant women, to prevent HIV transmission to the next generation, community outreach for HIV awareness, and providing care and support to children orphaned or made vulnerable by AIDS and other children
He said that PEPFAR had helped to provide diagnostics and treatment to tuberculosis to many HIV positive individuals.
“Fifteen years ago, when PEPFAR was created, an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence in many countries. Today, death and despair have been overwhelmingly replaced with life and hope.
“The U.S. government through FPEFAR, has not only saved and improved millions of lives, but also transformed the global HIV/AIDS response,” he said.
The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, described PEPFAR as a game changer that brought hope to the hopeless situation of some of the people living with HIV/AIDS in the country.
Adewole commended the U.S. government for the support and assistance through PEPFAR which, he said, had brought relief to those living with the virus in the country.
“We want to thank the U.S. government for putting down the money through PEPFAR to fight against the scourge in the country.
“This is the victory of science over disease, over death and sickness it shows what human being can do. We want you to convey our appreciation to the U.S government,” he said.
The Director-General, Health Implementation programme, Ministry of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Nurudeen Hussein, said PEPFAR had helped in reducing the HIV/AIDS prevalence in the military to 2.5 per cent from 3.5 per cent.
According to him, through the PEPFAR there have been an improvement in the infrastructure and the laboratory upgrade in the military healthcare delivery.
“It has also improved our healthcare delivery service in such a way that the healthcare programme caters for 85 per cent of civilians who were within and around our barracks,” Hussein said.
The Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Sani Aliyu, said that before PEPFAR treatment of HIV victims was very expensive but PEPFAR has changed the entire HIV spectrum.
Aliyu said that the scheme had brought hope and light to the people living with the virus.
“Twenty years ago in this country what we have is darkness, people living with HIV could not see the light, if you have HIV it was basically a death sentence; PEPFAR has brought hope, and light to that darkness,” he said.
According to him, PEPFAR epitomises humanity, the generosity and compassion when it comes to dealing with people that are sick, it has shown that there is hope for the future.
“If you look at our statistics in the country there is a particular graph that shows that without HIV programme we would have lost about 1.5 million Nigerians and have at least more five million Nigerians infected than what we have now.
“The fulcrum of the HIV response in Nigeria is PEPFAR, it looks after thousands of people with the sickness; they are doing that willingly as a country.
“They are doing that without us begging you, we are extremely grateful, what you have done we can pay back,” he said. (NAN)
IAA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

WHO demands political commitment to win fight against diseases

WHO demands political commitment to win fight against NCDs
By Yashim Katurak
Commitment
Abuja, June 2, 2018 (NAN) A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Independent High-Level Commission on Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs) has called for urgent action by political leaders to address chronic diseases and mental disorder.
The report released by the organisation on Saturday said only political commitment at all levels and immediate scaling up of actions can address the epidemic of NCDs, the world’s leading causes of death and ill health.
It said that collectively, cancer, diabetes, lung and heart diseases kills 41 million people annually accounting for 71 per cent of all deaths globally.
According to the report, 15 million of these deaths occur among people between the ages of 30 and 70 years.
It therefore urged world leaders to redouble efforts at meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target 3.4, which is to reduce premature deaths from NCDs by one-third and promote mental health and well being by 2030.
The report said that progress can only be accelerated to achieve this target when financing for NCDs was increased and stakeholders held responsible for delivering on their promises.
“Despite the many proven interventions and commitment to combat NCDs, progress has been slow and uneven globally.
“The NCDs epidemic has exploded in low and middle-income countries over the last two decades therefore we need to move quickly to save lives, prevent needless suffering and keep the fragile health system from collapsing.
“Preserving and improving people’s quality of life is a way of enhancing human dignity in order to make progress in economic growth, social justice and human coexistence.
“The commission is therefore making the following six recommendations: Heads of State and Government should take responsibility for the NCD agenda rather than delegating it to ministers of health alone as it requires collaboration and cooperation across many sectors.
“Governments should identify and implement a specific set of priorities within the overall NCD and mental health agenda based on public health needs.
“Governments should reorient health systems to include NCDs prevention and control, and mental health services in their Universal Health Coverage (UHC) policies and plans.
“Governments should increase effective regulation, appropriate engagement with the private sector, academia, civil society and communities.”
The commission also recommended that governments and the international community develop a new economic paradigm for funding actions on NCDs and mental health.
It recommended that governments strengthen accountability to their citizens for action on NCDs and simplify existing international accountability mechanisms.
The commission reiterated that fulfilling the promise of UHC to ensure all people everywhere could access quality health services without suffering financial hardship was one of WHO’s top priorities.
It said that the report would therefore help guide countries as they make progress towards health for all and tackle both NCDs and infectious killers.
The commission was convened by the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, in October 2017, to advise him on how countries can accelerate progress towards achieving SDG target 3.4.
The commission’s Co-chairs include the Presidents of Finland, Sri Lanka and Uruguay, Minister of Healthcare of the Russian Federation and Dr Sania Nishtar, a former Minister of Health from Pakistan who is also a leading NCDs expert and advocate.
The commission also comprises other health and development leaders from governments, civil society and the private sector.
NCDs include cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and mental disorders.
Tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and air pollution all increase the risk of dying from NCDs. (NAN)
KRY/HS/MST
Edited by Halima Sheji/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Expert urges more commitment to tackle HIV/AIDS

Expert urges more commitment to tackle HIV/AIDS
By Awayi Kuje
Commitment
Akwanga (Nasarawa State), June 1, 2018 (NAN) Dr Olawale Fadare, the Senior Technical Advisor, Outcomes and Evaluation, Caritas Nigeria, an NGO, has called for more commitment among Nigerians in order to tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.
Fadare made the call on Friday in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, while presenting a paper on the “Status of Paediatric HIV in Nigeria: Data, Gaps and Challenges” at the two-day training on paediatric HIV for religious leaders organised by the NGO.
He urged religious leaders to use the knowledge gain in order to educate their followers on the dangers of HIV/AIDS to societal development.
Fadare identified low level of political commitment, limited funding and poor understanding of child spacing issues as some of the bottlenecks affecting the policy implementation in the eradication of HIV/AIDS in the country.
“Why is paediatric HIV still a global health issue. The global burden of paediatric HIV disease is high despite the Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) as children less than five years face the highest risk of AIDS related deaths compared to other age-groups.
“2.6 million children currently living with HIV constitute 7.5 per cent of the total number of people with HIV as it was 2.3million in 2010.
“Without timely treatment, half the children living with HIV will die before their second birthday, hence the need for all hands to be on deck in order to tackle HIV/AIDS menace,’’ said the expert.
According to him, Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) is essential to identify infected infants.
“Treatment is life saving intervention and all infected infants and children less than two years are eligible for treatment.
“Based on data of UNAIDS, only eight per cent of patients are on Anti-retro Viral Therapy (AVR) in Nigeria and only 20.7 per cent of children in need of treatment are on ART compared to 37 per cent eligible adults,’’ he said.
Fadare also said that based on the summary of UNAIDS analysis, the Nigerian situation from 2003 to 2016 indicated that the 10 top states in Nigeria that have widest gaps in paediatric HIV treatment are Sokoto, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Oyo, Borno, Ogun, Yobe, Ondo, Zamfara and Ebonyi.
According to the data also from UNAIDS, the 10 top states that have the highest total burden of children infected with HIV are Oyo, Kaduna, Edo, Taraba, Lagos, Sokoto, Kano, Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Ondo.
He said that there was the need to immediately initiate immediate ARVs for all HIV positive babies so as to better the health status.
The health expert called for support and care for care givers for present and future wellbeing of children infected with the virus for the overall development of the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants of the workshop are Catholic priests, Reverend Sisters and other critical stakeholders drawn from Kaduna, Nasarawa and Benue States as well as FCT, Abuja. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola