The Abia State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ABSACA) has expressed concern over persistently high HIV infection rates in three local government areas, with Ukwa East topping the list despite overall progress in reducing the state’s prevalence rate.
This concern was raised in Umuahia during a one-day sensitisation workshop for members of Ward Development Committees (WDCs), organised to strengthen community-level HIV awareness and prevention.
Speaking at the event, ABSACA Director-General, Dr. Uloaku Emma-Ukaegbu, revealed that Ukwa East currently has the highest HIV prevalence in Abia State at 2.48%, followed by Ikwuano at 2.38% and Obingwa at 2.29%.
She emphasised the critical role of WDCs in community health response, urging them to lead grassroots efforts such as town hall meetings, market outreach, and faith-based sensitisation to promote prevention, testing, and treatment.
Dr. Emma-Ukaegbu noted that 46,788 people are currently receiving HIV treatment in Abia, and commended the state’s progress in curbing the disease, with the overall prevalence dropping from 5.1% in 2018 to 2.1% in 2024.
At the national level, she cited figures from the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), which reported 75,000 new infections and 45,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2023. Nigeria currently has an estimated 1.9 million people living with HIV.
Also speaking at the workshop, ABSACA’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Chinedu Iroh, highlighted the importance of consistent condom use and other preventive strategies to reduce new infections and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Another facilitator, Ekeoma Akidi, decried the ongoing stigma faced by people living with HIV, warning that it undermines prevention and treatment efforts.
She called on traditional and religious leaders to take the lead in challenging discrimination and fostering inclusive attitudes in their communities.