HIV test. PHOTO: TheConversation
The officer in-charge of UNICEF Field Office, Kaduna, Dr Idris Baba on Tuesday said the organisation has scaled up support to tackle high HIV prevalence among adolescents in seven local government areas of Kaduna State.
Baba, who made the disclosure in Zaria at a forum with media executives in the state, said: “HIV in adolescents remains a big concern; the seven LGAs have higher prevalence of HIV among adolescents in the state.”
According to him, only seven per cent of the adolescents surveyed at the beginning of the intervention programme in March had tested and received their HIV result.
He explained that the support being offered by UNICEF was on HIV prevention, treatment and care in the seven local areas.
The official disclosed that UNICEF had budgeted about N200 million to run the Adolescent and Young Persons (AYP) programme in Chikun, Igabi, Lere, Kagarko, Birnin Gwari, Jaba and Jema’a local government areas.
UNICEF spends N200m to tackle `HIV in adolescents concern’ in Kaduna State
