Benue, one other have the highest number of people living with HIV – NACA

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has revealed via their latest quarterly factsheet of the that Benue and Akwa Ibom States, have the highest number of people infected with HIV in the Nigeria.

The development is sequel to the report by NACA that reveals that 48 out of every 1,000 persons selected at random in the states are likely to test positive for HIV, which is way higher than the national average, 13 in every 1,000 persons. This brings the HIV prevalence rate in Nigeria to 1.3 percent according to the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS).

The Director-General of NACA, Dr Gambo Aliyu, the HIV prevalence disclosed that it is largely first because of behavior then culture.

According to him: “If you look at some communities nationally, because of culture and behaviour, you will see that the prevalence is very high because of the way people live, interact, and the way they socialise.”

Other states like Taraba, Anambra and Abia, have the next highest HIV prevalence rate of 2.6, 2.2, and 2.0 percent respectively. The report shows that states in the North have the lowest HIV prevalence rate.