APA The prevalence rate of new HIV/AIDS infections in Nigeria has reduced by 35 percent, according to the chairman of the Nigeria National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA).

Dr Umaru Shehu, who during a courtesy visit to the Secretary to the government of the federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim said that the rate of infection among Nigerians has dropped significantly thanks to a combination of factors which underlined changing attitude from the populace.

Dr. Shehu also highlighted the achievements of the NACA in its drive to control and eventually eradicate the disease from Nigeria.

``NACA board has been able to effectively guide its operation to become a robust agency of government since the bill establishing the agency was passed by the National Assembly in 2007, '' he said.

This, he said, was demonstrated in the achievements of the agency which had been able to harness the National Multi-sectoral Funds for HIV/AIDS with considerable success.

`` We hope that through you, we would continue to brief the president and update him on activities of the NACA and our achievement in HIV/AIDS control

Source: http://www.myweku.com/forum/health-well-being/306-hiv-prevalence-rate-nigeria-drops-35-percent.html

dis is good nuiz if only if dis nuiz is true

Misleading title. The prevalence rate is the percentage of the population that is HIV positive. That number is unlikely to fall by much unless we start shooting or deporting HIV positive people. Or if the population growth rate is higher than the rate of new infections.

Far more important is the HIV incidence rate i.e. the rate of new infections. The NACA statistics show only a marginal fall in prevalence. I'm don't really believe their figures since there nothing on the ground to explain such a fall. The is still widespread ignorance about HIV especially in the rural areas an the virus is still spreading at an alarming rate. The problem is ignorance, the stigma and the low rate of condom use among young people.

All this is just window dressing by politicians and civil servants who are more interested in marketing their achievements than actually achieving anything. There is really nothing to congratulate ourselves about.

There is still a lot of work to be done before we can start celebrating about HIV. We are still fighting a losing battle.