The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) says it has currently placed about 25, 000 persons living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and (HIV) Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) on life-saving treatment in Edo State.
The agency also added that it still has 17,000 people who were yet to be diagnosed and placed on treatment.
Dolapo Ogundehin, USAID Care and Treatment Team Lead made the disclosure on Thursday when she paid a courtesy on Betsy Obaseki, the Edo State first lady, at the Government House in Benin City.
Ogundehin commended the Edo state government for its support over the past 18 years it has operated in the state.
“Sadly, we still have over 6,500 of them as children. This is a cause for us to do more in order to avert a disaster in the long run. We are focused on the mother-to-children transmission; we are working on orphans and vulnerable children in the state,” she said.
In her remarks, Betsy Obaseki, the Edo First Lady commended the agency for its various intervention programmes in the state, especially its commitment to the welfare of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Edo.
“I am very pleased and impressed with the work USAID is doing in alleviating the pains of those suffering from HIV/AIDS around the world, Nigeria and particularly in Edo.
“Your support for those who need help and the less privileged is highly commendable. We appreciate you for the intervention and collaboration the agency is bringing to our people in Nigeria to help us govern better and deliver what it is supposed to deliver to her people.
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“Your organisation is known to operate with very high integrity. You are a very reliable partner to work with at any time for any project. We value your collaboration, your partnerships and your intervention and recognize what you have done so far in our state,” she added.
She, however, assured that the state government through her office will continue to provide the agency and all its implementing partners the required support and assistance to enable them succeed and implement projects across the state
