The National Agency for the Control of Aids has said that out of the 3.14 million Nigerians currently living with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 233,170 of them may die of the disease this year.
NACA said this in the HIV/AIDS estimates and projections unveiled on Thursday.
The Director-General of NACA, Prof. John Idoko, who gave the figures, said the projected increase in deaths was largely due to the weak infrastructure, as well as weak governance status at the state and local government levels.
Of this number (233, 170), the agency put the number of females that may die of the scourge at 128, 270, while their male counterpart would make up the balance of 104, 900.
The 233,170 deaths figure, when compared with the 215,130 deaths recorded last year as a result of the scourge, represented an increase of 18,040 or 8.38 per cent.
He said while huge progress had been made at the national level, such could not be said at the rural level.
He, however, said the agency was more determined to reduce the prevalence rate, which currently stands at 4.1 per cent to zero.
To help achieve this, he said the agency would, in line with the World Health Organisations standards, review its mode of treatment to enable the early treatment of those who might contact the disease.
Going by these projections, he, however, expressed optimism that the number of lives that would be lost to the disease would decrease by 15, 010 or 6.44 per cent to 218, 160 next year.
| Posted: at | |
TRENDING GISTS 
2025 U-20 AFCON: Check Out All 8 Teams That Qualified For Quarter-Finals
Watch Loved-Up Moment Portable's Wife, Ashabi Shared With The Singer (Video)
Police Arrest Suspected Ritualist With Human Organs In Lagos
PHOTOS: Troops Arrest Notorious Gunrunners, Recover Arms In Kaduna