By Tukura Matthew

Executive Director of the Nasarawa State AIDS control Agency (NASACA), Dr. Ishaku Bako, has said that more than half of the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) were women.

Dr. Bako stated this in an interview with Nigerian Newsday in Lafia last week.

He said research carried out by a team of medical doctors in various African countries has shown that women in the African continent were more affected by the HIV/AIDS scourge.

According to Dr. Bako, the reproductive system of the women folk and the economic powerless of the women made them to become more vulnerable to the HIV/AIDS scourge.

"Cultural practices such as wife inheritance when the husband dies is also a contributing factor," Dr. Bako said.

Dr. Bako said Nasarawa State AIDS control agency has intensified its efforts at creating awareness on the dangers of HIV/AIDS through radio, television and placement of posters at strategic public places.

He said that the number of facilities have been increased in the state to provide comprehensive treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS.

He said until now, only Dalhatu Araf Specialists Hospital, Lafia, and the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, provided such services, adding that Wamba and Akwanga general hospitals, Shabu primary health care centre and the Urban Primary Health Care Centre Lafia, were now providing counseling, testing, treatment and services aimed at the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the dreaded disease.

Dr. Bako commended the state government for upgrading the Nasarawa State Committee on AIDS (NACA) to an agency as well as paying for its counterpart fund for the World Bank programme on HIV/AIDS for this year.

He said the recent launching/inauguration of the National Coalition on HIV/AIDS (NAWOCA) in Nasarawa State by the First Lady, Hajiya Turai Umaru Musa Yar’adua, was a significant progress in response to the fight against the disease in the country.

Dr. Bako advised the public not to discriminate against people living with HIV/AIDS, saying "everybody should go for the test so as to know his or her status".