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The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Has revealed that out of 3.2 million Nigerians living with HIV, 42,000 are in Kwara State. He said Kwara state is one of the states with the least number of people living with HIV, but this should not bar the government  from taking proactive measures towards preventing the spread of the virus in the state. He claimed that the youths are the ones that have the highest incidence among all affected in the state. He however stated that the National Agency for the Control of AIDS is ensuring the registered HIV patients are receiving  their treatments as and when due. He also used the opportunity  to encourage members of the public to get themselves  tested on time to know their status.

The Director General of NACA, Professor John Idoko, who made this known in Ilorin stressed the need for the three tiers of government to wake up to the reality of checking the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country. He insisted that helpful governmental inputs will encourage  people to go for test and know their status before the infection translates to full blown AIDS, which may take time to treat. He insisted that HIV does not kill and it can be managed to ensure the affected individual does not come down with AIDS. He also said ease of treatment  is determined by how quickly the affected person reports for treatment. 

Idoko praised the state government on its Health Insurance Scheme which he noted had been captured by the agency as micro model being adopted by other states of the federation. He however insisted that more needs to be done to ensure the health of the state and its residents is well catered for. He also said the government  should give more support  to HIV patients to make live more livable for its citizens.

He urged the state government to pay its counterpart fund, adding that the World Bank, other donor countries and agencies were gradually withdrawing their support. In his address, the Kwara state deputy governor, Elder Peter Kisra, restated the state government’s commitment to HIV/AIDS programme and other health related programmes in the State.

Kisira who is the Chairman of the State AIDS Control Agency (KWASACA) noted that this was demonstrated with reduction in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS from 4.3 per cent in 2001 among the women that attend anti-natal clinics to 1.47 per cent in 2012 among the general population.

The deputy governor explained that four line Ministries Health, Women Affairs, Youth and Sports Development, Education and Human Capital Development are implementing HIV/AIDS programmes in their sectors including the 16 Local Government Areas of the State. He said this was put together to ensure drastic reduction  in HIV prevalence in the state. He claimed this effort  of the state government  is already paying off. He said the state government  is not just paying lip service  to HIV control, but doing its best to fight against it.

He stressed that 20 Civil Society Organizations are also supporting the State efforts toward the control of HIV/AIDS programmes.