600,000 citizens live with HIV/AIDS in Benue State

Benue State Commissioner for Health and Social Services, Dr. Oduen Abunku, has disclosed that over 600,000 persons are currently living with the dreaded HIV/AIDS within the state.

Abunku lamented that skyrocketing figure had left the state on the highest of chart of obtainable statistics of the foremost endemic states within the federation.
The Commissioner, who spoke at the joint Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signing ceremony between the Benue State Government, the NKST Health Services and also the Nigeria Indigenous capability Building Project, regretted that HIV/AIDS infestation within the state was destroying and eroding the state’s capability within the food and agriculture.
He said: “In Nigeria, Benue State has for several years topped the chart of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS with over 600,000 persons living with the virus within the state.
“The virus is destroying our farms, faculties and churches which is why we’ll still partner organisations who are providing services to the infected and affected within the state.”
He known as on all development partners within the current war against the virus within the state to redouble their efforts at curbing the prevalence of the virus within the state.
In his remarks, Governor Gabriel Suswam, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. David Salifu, said his administration would still partner relevant agencies and international partners to confirm that the scourge of AIDS within the state was effectively checked.

Suswam, who disclosed that at the inception of his administration, the state had just one HIV/AIDS treatment centre, however, noted that his administration had established twenty additional centres for the advantage of the infected.