Wende, has said that more than 1,027,328 people in the state were currently living with the dreaded HIV/AIDS.
She said the figure comprises 706,640 adults and 318,888 children, hence the need for anti retroviral therapy for the children.
Mrs. Wende said this yesterday, at a training programme for media practioners on HIV/AIDS in Makurdi, the state capital.
She explained that out of the number of infected adults, 21,259 were new cases out of which 17,139 were women
She said: “The HIV epidemic has lasted for several years with Benue State contributing significantly to the prevalence of the virus in Nigeria.
She further explained that the state government was taking proactive steps to check the spread of the virus with the establishment of 40 treatment centres across the state.
”We have the highest number of treatment centres that are providing free anti-retroviral drugs to infected persons in the country; and we have drugs that could last up to 2015; that is why we are urging everyone to undertake free testing and counseling in order to know our status and check the spread of the virus,” Wende added.
