Ilorin — Kazeem, has said that the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) related death has increased in the country in recent time owing to inability of the nation to attain expected target in the treatment of the health crisis.
He also said despite the decline in the spread of HIV/AIDS over the years, about 3.5 million Nigerians are still living with the virus.
Kazeem, who is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Ilorin, stated this while delivering his inaugural lecture, entitled: 'Realities of Living with HIV Inflection', at the university.
The medical expert said death resulting from the disease increases because only one third of infected people are able to get Anti-Retrovirals (ARV) while just 18 per cent of affected pregnant women receive the required treatment.
He stated: "With an estimated population of 162, 265, 000, Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa, the continent that carries the globe's heaviest burden of HIV/AIDS. About 3.5 million Nigerians are currently living with the virus.
"This ranks Nigeria as the third most heavily burdened country after India and South Africa. Although the national median prevalence of HIV is reducing in recent years, the reality is that the absolute number of people living with the virus has increased by almost half a million people in three years. This is because of the aggressive case detection drive of the programme executors.
"AIDS related death has also increased in the same period because the country is behind target in most success indicators for HIV treatment. For example only 1 in 3 (450, 000 of 1.5m) Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS and in need of ARV gets it, only 18 per cent of pregnant women receive prophylaxis for PMTCT."
Kazeem also said there is a rising rate of new infection of the virus in the country with female sex workers and their partners and men who have sex with men contributing largely to the development. Source:http://allafrica.com/stories/201406300007.html?viewall=1