All African, 30 January 2014

Minna — Niger State Commissioner for Health Dr. Babamini Sule has said that the state HIV/AIDS prevalence rate has dropped from 4.0 per cent in 2012 to 1.2 per cent.

The commissioner, while briefing newsmen on the activities of his ministry for 2013,said 304,822 people were counselled and tested for HIV/AIDS.

He said out of the number, 17, 919 people tested positive, and that out of them, 11, 909 have been placed on anti-retroviral drugs across various established centres in the state.

He added that in 2013 budget, the health sector was allocated N5.3 billion, out of which the ministry only received N261.2 million.

Sule however said that despite the small amount of money released to the ministry, the budget performance stood at 5.3 per cent against 2.5 per cent in 2012.

He said the state government has also placed order for the supply of the latest CT scan and laparascopy machines for installation at the IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna.

The commissioner further stated that over N1 billion was budgeted for the construction of maternal and neo-natal wing of General the Hospital Minna, and that the project is being carried out under Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

"In the year under review, 26 private hospitals were shut down in the state. Out of that number, 16 were temporarily closed owing to some complaints on their medical procedures while 10 were permanently closed down as a result of lack of adequate manpower," he said.

By Aliyu M. Hamagam

Source: All African