KTSG budgets N200m on campaign against HIV

The Katsina State Government (KTSG) has set aside N200 million to continue its campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state.

Dr. Mutari Hassan, the State Coordinator of Action Committee against HIV/AIDS (SACA), disclosed this to Newsverge on Thursday in Katsina.

He said that the state government had captured the amount in its 2017 budget during preparation to be spent in curtailing the spread of the disease.

“Katsina State has recorded a low HIV prevalence rate of 0.7 per cent from the sentinel survey of 2012.

“The state also recorded 1.4 per cent in 2014 during a survey for pregnant women that attended antenatal programmes in various hospitals across the state.

“We want to sustain the low record of HIV/AIDS victims; that is the reason the government budgeted the money”, he said.

The coordinator said that with the amount budgeted; the state’s action committee would continue to discharge its duties to mitigate the spread of the disease.

Newsverge reports that the committee had mobilised traditional and religious leaders in its campaign against the spread of the disease in the state.