285 people tested positive for HIV out of 54,075 tested through referrals by Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) in 12 Nigerian states in 2017’s first quarter. 58,716 were referred by Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) working under ARFH’s sub recipients, but 54,075 were tested for HIV.
ARFH is a Principal Recipient of the Global Fund grant to fight HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, and presented this statistics at the quarterly Principal Recipient/Sub Recipient review meeting of its Global Fund HIV project, which held in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, Nigeria, in June 2017.
The analysis presented by Dr Oluwaseun Ojomo, ARFH’s Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, showed that, out of 39,393 pregnant women tested in these 12 states, 172 tested positive for HIV, while 113 individuals out of 14,682 from the general population tested positive.
The statistics were collated from data submitted by ARFH’s sub recipients on the grant, namely, the Civil Society for Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), Network of People living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) and Civil Society for Eradication of Tuberculosis in Nigeria (TB Network).
ACOMIN works in 3 states (Imo, Oyo and Rivers), NEPWHAN works in 4 states (Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, and Nasarawa), while TB Network works in 5 (Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and Taraba).
At the meeting, ARFH’s Director of Programmes, Mrs Kehinde Osinowo led the participants to observe a one-minute silence to pay respect to late Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, the Executive Director of the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) and former Minister for Health for Nigeria, who died on June 5th 2017.
Mrs Osinowo said: “Professor Osotimehin was a global icon in the field of sexual and reproductive health. He worked very greatly in ensuring that the Global Fund grant to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Nigeria is sustained”.
She reiterated that, the observance is to show gratitude to Professor Osotimehin for the great work he has done in Nigeria and in the world at large.
Dr Abiodun Hassan, the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator of ARFH, along with other participants, prayed for Professor Osotimehin’s gentle soul to rest in perfect peace.
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The quarterly review meeting is held to review the work done every 3 months, chart a course towards improvement of HCT service delivery, solve challenges, resolve issues and discuss the way forward.
ARFH’s Community Systems Strengthening project funded by the Global Fund is focused on building the capacity of organisations, especially CBOs to generate demand for HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) services.
