States In Nigeria With The Highest Number Of HIV Carriers.

HIV( Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks cells in the immune system which serves as the body’s natural defence against illness.

A survey was carried out by the NAIIS (Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey) to determine the growth in numbers of people living with HIV across the Country.

The NAIIS was launched in June 2018, and that year the survey reached around 220,000 people in 100,000 households.

According to the results from the NAIIS, the South-South zone has the highest HIV prevalence at 3.1%, the North-central zone is about 2.1%, the South-east is 1.9%, while the South-West and North-East is the lowest with about 1.2&1.1% each.

HIV has no cure for now, but the disease can be managed with anti-ritroval drugs and the disease can be prevented by employing methods like; use of condoms during intercourse, avoid sharing of needles & syringes, avoiding mother to child transmission, going for HIV test and many more.

Read Also: Nigeria Spends N2.3trn On HIV Patients’ Treatment

According to the NAIIS here are the States with the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS:

1. Akwa Ibom: About 5.5% of the population in the state.

2. Benue: 5.3%

3. Rivers: 3.8%

4. Taraba: 2.9%

5. Anambra: 2.4%

6. Nassarawa: 2.0%

7. Cross River: 2.0%

8. Enugu: 2.9%

9. Edo: 1.9%

10. Delta 1.9%

While States like, Bayelsa, Plateau, Imo, Ogun, e.t.c, have less than 1.5% of people living with HIV.

Then States in the South-West and North-West, have the least percentage of people living with HIV and AIDS.

Then reason behind the low percentage of HIV Carriers in the South-West and North-West, could be as a result of high awareness and regular use of protection in the two zones compared to other regions in the Country.