Protect yourself: That girl or guy that you shaked his hands or kissed her lips may be among the 210,000 Nigerians that die of HIV/AIDS yearly – according to Minister's figures

From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Abakaliki
The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said no fewer than 210, 000 Nigerians die of HIV/AIDS every year, saying Nigeria is the third largest population of people living with the disease in the World.

He said there was 21 per cent reduction of HIV/AIDS between 1997 and 2010, saying at the end of 2010 an estimate of 34 million cases was recorded.

Chukwu, who disclosed this at the weekend during this year’s commemoration of World AIDS Day held at Grand Arena Nkwegu Ugbala, Abakaliki, said there would be 90 per cent reduction in transmission of HIV/AIDS through the mother to child transmission (MTCT) by 2015 in line with UN declaration of 2009.

The minister, represented by Prof. Abudulsalami Nasidi, said Nigeria was making progress in the fight against the scourge.

He said N270 billion would be needed in the fight against HIV/AIDS between now and 2015, adding that 1.2 million AIDS patients in Nigeria needed treatment which he said would be through the use of retro-viral drugs.

The minister stated that the new rating of the HIV/AIDS would be announced next week while the North-Central geopolitical zone was still leading with 7.5 per cent followed by the South-South zone and South-East zone while the least was the North-West.

According to him, the challenges facing the fight against HIV/AIDS included inadequate funding, weak health system, dwindling external/donor support, poor engagement and coordination of the private sector, weak procurement and supply management system as well as gender inequality making female more vulnerable to HIV infection.

Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State, represented by his Deputy, Chief Dave Umahi urged parents to expose their children/wards to sex education at early age.

He warned against discrimination and stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS, saying they were citizens of the Nigeria and should be embraced by others in the society.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Federal Teaching Hospital (FETHA) Abakaliki, Dr. Paul Ezeonu said the only solution to avoid the disease was total abstinence from premarital sex and other casual sex