NACA urges Katsina to budget N693m for HIV/AIDS in 2019
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS has called on the Katsina State Government to include HIV/AIDS in its health insurance scheme.
NACA Director-General Dr Sani Aliyu made the call when he led a delegation to Governor Aminu Masari in Katsina on an advocacy visit for HIV/AIDS services and support for the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey’ (NAIIS) slated for November 11 to 18 in the state.
Aliyu said inclusion of HIV/AIDS in the state health insurance scheme should not be for testing or screening alone, but also for treatment.
He asked the state to budget N693m for HIV/AIDS in 2019 and approve an additional release of N50m from the 2018 approved budget.
He said though the north did not have the highest prevalence rate of HIV in the country, it was still a problem there.
Masari advised the NACA to beam its searchlight on cities and urban areas where people have to leave their spouses for long periods of time because of work, noting that it increases the risk of transmission of the disease to both spouses.
