Obasempire reports that the Acting Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Agency on HIV/AIDS (KOSACA), Ibrahim Anate, revealed that more than 50,000 individuals are living with HIV/AIDS in Kogi State.
He shared this information in Lokoja on Monday during a one-day stakeholders’ dialogue.
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Anate stated that 36,066 people living with HIV are currently undergoing treatment in Kogi State, while over 19,000 have not attended their scheduled treatment or counseling sessions.
He suggested that stigma and discrimination against people with HIV are contributing factors to why many individuals do not disclose their status.
The Acting Executive Secretary of KOSACA also criticized certain health facilities in Kogi State for reportedly discriminating against individuals living with HIV.
“This is what we have been trying to fight against in Kogi State. We are looking forward to a situation where the same nurse or doctor will attend to all patients at the hospital irrespective of their HIV status. They should not be kept in a separate ward.”
While expressing optimism that Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo will sign the anti-HIV stigmatization bill into law, Anate called on religious leaders to champion the campaign against HIV stigmatization in Kogi State.
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Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Secretary of Ninerela+ Nigeria, Amber Erinmwinhe, reiterated the organization’s commitment to ending HIV stigmatization and gender-based violence in Nigeria.
“HIV is not a death sentence. Many PLHIV have lost their lives, because of fear and stigma and discrimination. Religious leaders must rise to the occasion by educating their followers on the dangers of stigmatization against people living with HIV(PLHIV),” she added.
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