A Consultant Physician, Dr Uche Umeh, says no fewer than 80,258 individuals are living with HIV in Anambra State, and 83 per cent of them are currently on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
Umeh who works with the Department of Community Medicine and Primary Healthcare, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, gave the statistics on Monday at the World AIDS Day event.
The World AIDS Day event was organised by the Collaboration and Linkages Directorate, COOU, Anambra, in partnership with the Hope Givers Care and Support Organisation.
The event had the theme – ‘Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response on Vulnerabilised Communities and HIV Innovative Strategies’.
She said 40.8 million people are living with HIV globally, with 1.3 million new infections recorded in 2024 and 9.2 million still without access to HIV treatment and care.
According to her, as of 2022, 1.9 million people were living with HIV in Nigeria.
“For Anambra state, 93,000 people were living with HIV in 2024, but the number dropped to about 80,258 in 2025.
“This represents a prevalence rate of 2.4 per cent, which is higher than the national prevalence rate of 1.4 per cent.
“Transgender people account for 4.8 per cent of the burden, Men Who Have Sex with Men account for 17.2 per cent, Commercial Sex Workers make up 6.5 per cent, while People Who Inject Drugs contribute 2.2 per cent.
‘About 83 per cent of the 80,258 people living with HIV in the state are currently on ART, indicating that Anambra is performing well in this area,” she said.
Umeh said HIV can be transmitted through tattooing, blood transfusion and mother-to-child and not just sex alone
She called for the adoption of oral or injectable Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as it offers 96 per cent protection when used consistently and correctly by those at high risk.
She described PrEP as an antiretroviral drug taken by HIV uninfected or negative persons to reduce the risk of HIV infection.
Also speaking, Prof. Ngozi Joe-Ikechebelu, Lead, Collaboration and Linkages Directorate at COOU, decried the rising stigma associated with HIV in society.
She said that a community-led HIV response could help prevent stigma and discrimination, which continue to fuel the spread of the disease.
“HIV-related stigma is a reality, which is why we are working with the community of persons living with HIV in Anambra under the Hope Givers Care and Support Organisation.
“This collaboration has helped us understand their needs and challenges.
“It also helped us find ways to educate, counsel, and help them realise that with treatment, they can live normal and healthy lives,” she said.
In her address, Prof. Kate Omenugha, Vice-Chancellor of COOU, urged Nigerians to treat persons living with HIV with empathy.
She also called for their empowerment to enable them live meaningful and productive lives.
In her remarks, Ms. Gladys Ezembu, Leader of the Hope Givers Care and Support Organisation, said that testing positive for HIV is not a death sentence.
She said it should not prevent anyone from living life to the fullest.
Ezembu, who is also the Anambra Coordinator of the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, urged members to prioritise their treatment to achieve a low viral load.
