The Adamawa State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ADSACA) has reported 8,850 new HIV infections across the state between 2022 and 2025, signalling a concerning rise in transmission rates despite available prevention tools.
The disclosure was made in Yola by Abdullahi Adamu, the agency’s Director of Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation, during a media interactive session on the state’s HIV/AIDS response.
Adamu said the engagement is aimed at strengthening collaboration with the media to boost public awareness and encourage behavioural change in HIV prevention.
He explained that surveillance data show a steady increase in new infections over the past three years: “In 2022, we recorded over 2,700 new infections; in 2023, more than 2,500; in 2024, 2,227; and between January and June 2025, we have already recorded 1,423 new infections.”
Expressing concern over the trend, Adamu said the figures highlight the need for a review of current strategies and a more aggressive campaign on preventive measures.
“We have preventive options such as abstinence, consistent condom use, and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), but many people are not using them effectively,” he noted.
He stressed that people living with HIV who adhere to treatment cannot transmit the virus and can lead healthy, productive lives. According to him, more than 40,000 people living with HIV are currently receiving treatment in Adamawa State, with about 93% achieving viral suppression. However, the agency recorded 400 HIV-related deaths in 2024.
The ADSACA official also urged pregnant women to register for antenatal care to prevent mother-to-child transmission, which remains a key challenge.
“In 2024, 509 pregnant women who registered for antenatal care were enrolled on HIV treatment, out of which 180 were new infections. Without antenatal care and hospital delivery, some of these mothers could have unknowingly transmitted the virus to their babies,” he said.
Adamu revealed that the state government had procured over 40,000 HIV testing kits, encouraging residents to take advantage of free testing services available at health facilities and community testing centres.
Also speaking, John Tobias, the North-East Zonal Coordinator of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), urged Nigerians to take greater ownership of the national HIV response to ensure sustainability.
He warned that a stop-work order issued by the United States government in February had disrupted donor-supported HIV interventions, limiting Nigeria’s capacity to provide treatment and care. “This is a wake-up call for us to take responsibility for our own health and reduce dependence on donor support,” Tobias said.
Describing the 1,423 new infections in the first half of 2025 as “avoidable,” he stressed that effective treatment remains one of the strongest prevention tools. “If everyone living with HIV is identified and placed on treatment, there will be no opportunity for transmission,” he said.
Tobias called on journalists to play an active role in public sensitisation and promoting positive behavioural change, emphasising that Nigeria must intensify efforts to end new HIV infections by 2030.
