One in seven people with HIV in European Union unaware they have virus

This means that each year we see around 18 people diagnosed with HIV.

“If deployed alongside our current armoury of proven HIV prevention tools, a safe and effective vaccine could be the final nail in the coffin for HIV”, said Anthony Fauci, director of the US National institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is taking part in the study.

“In the spirit of the World AIDS Day theme, Hands Up for #HIVPrevention, ACNL will continue to work with our partners to ensure access to prevention education, testing and treatment so we can achieve zero new infections”, he said.

The programme was organized on the eve of the World AIDS Day which is globally observed on December 1.

THIRTY-five years since the emergence of AIDS, the global community can look back with some pride but we must also look ahead with resolve and commitment to reach our goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

The group also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint one of the people living with HIV/AIDS to an office to be created by the government.

“Those who do not know they are infected can not get treatment meant to save lives and may continue to transmit the virus to others”, said the Commissioner.

“It contributed more than half of the new HIV cases a year ago (122 cases or 58 per cent)”, he said.

In a statement issued on the eve of World AIDS Day, the ministry said there were 1,661 HIV and 73 AIDS cases detected out of the total, 16.5 percent of whom were of foreign nationals. This increase in HIV testing uptake worldwide has led to more than 80% of all people diagnosed with HIV receiving ART.

“Fewer people die of AIDS-related causes each year”. Of the adult population, from 25 to 65 years of age, 61,7% of men and 78% of women have been tested, while among the youth, from 15 to 24 years, 39,9% of men have been tested, compared to 62,8% of women.

Confidential and easy to do HIV testing will be on offer at The Forum Southend, Elmer Square between 1pm and 5pm.

He added that there are 66,000 new HIV infections among children in the two sub-regions in 2015.

Speaking at meeting of stakeholders in Lagos, the minister also said it was needful to increase funding so that more HIV patients could be placed on antiretroviral medication.

China will intensify efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and accelerate the development of new drugs to treat the virus, the government has said.

Speaking during the launch of the Nairobi County HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan, health executive Bernard Muia said the county also has a large number of commercial sex workers, men having sex with men and those injecting drugs.