Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom record highest HIV cases in Nigeria- Report

A new report by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has shown that Rivers State has the highest number of Persons Living with HIV (PLWHIV) in Nigeria.

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The report titled “2024 HIV Spectrum Estimates’ indicates that Rivers State accounts for 208,767 HIV cases, followed by Benue State with 202,346 cases, while Akwa Ibom ranks third with 161,597 cases.

The report indicates that Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial hub, accounts for 108,649 cases, taking fourth place nationwide.

This is followed by Anambra with 100,429 cases, while the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has one of the highest numbers in the North-Central region with 83,333 reported cases.

According to the report, more than two million people are currently living with HIV across the country, highlighting the need for sustained efforts in prevention, testing, and access to treatment.

More statistics

Other states with high-prevalence include Delta-68,170, Imo-67,944, Enugu-61,028, Edo-60,095, and Taraba-58,460.

The middle tier states include Abia -54,655, Kaduna -54,458, and Kano 53,972.

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Plateau State also reported a significant number, with 51,736 cases, followed closely by Borno-50,433 and Oyo-50,063. Cross River-43,452, Ogun-43,348, and Nasarawa-44,993 make up the mid-range prevalence group.

Adamawa reported 40,059 cases, while states like Gombe reported 31,825 cases, Jigawa-31,409, Osun-30,714, and Niger – 29,756.

The lower-middle category states include Bauchi which reported 28,698 cases, followed by Kogi-28,421, Ondo-27,150, and Katsina-26,788 and Bayelsa with 25,339 cases.

States with the lowest numbers of recorded cases include Kwara -20,259, Kebbi -19,339, Ekiti -18,857, Sokoto -15,223, Ebonyi -14,151, Zamfara -13,253, and Yobe with 11,956 cases.

Mortality and treatment access

The report estimates also revealed that in the past year, an estimated 43,683 people died from HIV-related causes. This includes 28,589 adults, which comprises 13,650 males and 14,939 females. Among children aged 0–14, there were 15,094 reported deaths.

As of the latest data, 1,753,425 people living with HIV know their HIV status.

Meanwhile, access to treatment has expanded significantly, with 1,735,808 PLWHIV currently on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). This includes 1,690,057 adults — 577,632 males and 1,112,425 females — and 45,751 children aged 0-14 who accessed ART.

Out of those on treatment, 1,160,256 individuals were tested for viral suppression, and 1,112,339 were confirmed to have a suppressed viral load. This group includes 1,083,177 adults — 363,531 males and 719,645 females — and 29,162 children.

PMTCT

Among pregnant women, 93,186 were identified as needing ART to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

However, only 31,095 received the necessary treatment, highlighting a critical gap in prevention services.

The Director General of NACA, Temitope Ilori, had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that the country still has a challenge putting a stop to Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (MTCT).

READ ALSO: HIV treatment remains free in government facilities – NACA DG

Ms Ilori said the challenge is multifaceted.

“While HIV drugs are available at health facilities, only about 66 per cent of mothers receive antenatal care in these facilities. Even among those who do, only about 23 per cent deliver in health facilities,” she said.

“Many women receive antenatal care but give birth at home, with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), or in mission houses. For those who test positive for HIV, stigma and fear of discrimination often prevent them from accessing treatment.”

More testing equals more cases

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday night, the commissioner for Health in Anambra, Afam Obidike said the increase in HIV cases reflects improved testing coverage in the state.

Mr Obidike noted that out of the over 100,000 people living with HIV in the state, around 98,000 are currently on treatment.

“Increased cases means that we have intensified efforts in testing as many people as possible, including pregnant women,” he said.

“There is also increased awareness and access to HIV testing. We ensure all our health facilities have enough test kits.”

Efforts to reach the heads of the State Agencies for the Control of AIDS in Benue, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.