The Nigerian HIV/AIDS widespread drops to 1.4%.

With 1. 9 million persons now living with
HIV/ AIDS in Nigeria , the world ’ s largest
black nation has dropped to 4 thposition in
global HIV prevalence rate, a new survey
suggests.
The report is contained in the Nigeria HIV /
AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey , which
was organised by the Federal Government
and funded principally by the United States
Government and other relevant
stakeholders.
Prior to the survey, Nigeria had the second
highest HIV /AIDS prevalence with 3. 2
million persons having the disease .
According to the report, the number of
women with the deadly virus is twice the
number of men that has it.
The state with the highest prevalence of
HIV/ AIDS is now Akwa Ibom. The survey
also shows that northern Nigeria has a
lower HIV / AIDS burden than the South.
It states that while the North - West has the
lowest prevalence rate at 0. 6 per cent , the
South-South geopolitical zone has the
highest with 3. 1 per cent.
Briefing journalists after the report was
launched by President Muhammadu Buhari
on Thursday , the Director -General of the
National Agency for the Control of AIDS , Dr
Sani Aliyu, said Nigeria was behind South
Africa, Mozambique and India .
Aliyu said the survey had a large sample
size of 225, 000 persons drawn from more
than 97 , 000 households across all the local
government areas of Nigeria , making it
truly representative of the general
population .
He said NAIIS was the biggest HIV survey
done by any country anywhere in the
world .
Aliyu said that at any point during the
survey, the NAIIS project had at least 3 , 000
workers collecting and reporting data on
the field .
The NACA boss said the survey measured
the incidence and prevalence of HIV , level
of virological suppression and the
epidemiological impact of the HIV
programme among different age groups.
He said , “ The survey we have done today
shows that the prevalence of HIV /AIDS in
Nigeria for people within the ages of 15
and 49 is 1. 4 per cent. The number of
persons living with HIV in Nigeria is also
based on the population of the country .
“The National Population Commission figure
that we were given is a population of 193
million in Nigeria . So , based on that, our
estimate of persons living with HIV / AIDS is
now 1. 9 million persons . The prevalence for
women is 1. 9 per cent and that of men is
0. 9 per cent . So , for every two women that
have HIV/ AIDS , there is one man that has
it. ”
Powered by Ru In his remark , the Minister of Health, Prof.
Isaac Adewole , thanked the US Government
and Global Fund which contributed over
$70m to the project
Chief of Party for the NAIIS project , Aliyu
Gambo , said the survey showed that there
was a higher prevalence of HIV /AIDS in
urban areas than rural settlements .
He said the North had lower prevalence of
HIV/ AIDS because of cultural behaviours