Kano – HIV and AIDS prevalence has dropped from 2.8 per cent to 1.3 per cent in Kano State, according to a survey conducted by the National AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey Plus (NARHS-Plus).

NARHS-Plus is responsible for monitoring HIV and AIDS epidemic and behaviours driving the epidemic in Nigeria.

Dr Sa’adatu Bala, Director-General, Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS, disclosed this on Thursday at the quarterly review meeting of Strengthening Integrated Delivery of HIV and AIDS Services in the state.

She said that the current status had removed the state from the HIV and AIDS emergency states.

“This was achieved because of the efforts of the state government and the implementing partners in fighting the menace in the state,” she said.

Bala said that the state was coordinating a number of multi-sectoral responses to keep pace with best practises in reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV by scaling up voluntary HIV test and counselling.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Yusuf, said the partnership between the ministry and the agency would strengthen efforts in health care delivery services through the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

He said that the state government had introduced free Maternal and Child Health services for pregnant and new born babies in the state-owned health facilities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting with the theme: “The role of Government in the Sustainability of HIV/AIDS Programmes in the Face of Dwindling Funding,” reviewed the achievements and challenges of the project in the state.