The Osun State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OSUNSACA) has revealed that 23,693 people are presently living with HIV/AIDS in the state.
In a press release by the state Technical Officer, Damien Foundation, Dr. Kehinde Ajayi, the commemoration of 2025 World AIDS Day that, 24,874 people are currently receiving treatment in the state as of September 30, 2025.
The figure is based on Nigeria’s 2024 spectrum HIV estimate for Osun State _PLHIV_2025 SHEET4),
The theme of this year’s celebration, ‘Overcoming Disruptions; Sustaining Nigeria’s HIV Response in Osun State’, was marked by a series of impactful, community-driven activities aimed at renewing commitment, raising awareness, and strengthening action toward ending AIDS as a public health threat in Osun State.
The activities began with a road walk, featuring representatives from the TB, HIV, and Malaria programs, Network of people living with HIV (NEPWHAN), implementing partners, civil society groups, and community volunteers.
Participants marched through major streets across Osun State, distributing educational materials and engaging residents on the importance of early testing, treatment adherence, and preventive practices. The road walk served as a powerful symbolic action to amplify visibility, reinforce solidarity, and mobilize community participation in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.
A major highlight of the event was the rollout of comprehensive Integrated Testing Services, which brought essential health screenings directly to the communities.
These services included: “TB Screening Using PDX Machines: Cutting-edge PDX diagnostic machines were deployed to conduct real-time screening for tuberculosis—particularly children and vulnerable groups. The use of these devices enabled the quicker identification of presumptive TB cases and facilitated immediate linkage to further evaluation.
“HIV Testing Services (HTS): Free, confidential HIV testing was offered to the general population, with special attention to pregnant women to strengthen the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) efforts.
Trained counsellors were available onsite to provide pre- and post-test counselling, ensuring individuals understood their results and next steps.
“Malaria Testing: Rapid malaria testing was also conducted for adults and children, supporting early diagnosis and reducing risk of complications. This integration reflected the state’s commitment to a holistic approach to public health.
“Awareness Creation and Sensitization: Throughout the activities, health educators and volunteers led awareness sessions addressing HIV prevention, stigma reduction, treatment adherence, benefits of knowing one’s status, and healthy lifestyle practices.
These sensitization efforts targeted the general population, including youth, market women, transport unions, and rural communities. The interactive sessions helped demystify misconceptions around HIV, TB, and malaria, while encouraging individuals to take advantage of the free testing services available.
“The Road Ahead: World AIDS Day 2025 served as a reminder that ending AIDS is achievable when communities are informed, engaged, and empowered. Through integrated health services, strong partnerships, and community-driven initiatives, Osun State continues to scale up efforts toward achieving the 95-95-95 goals, eliminating new infections, and building a healthier future for all.”
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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