The Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA) has faulted the 51.6% HIV prevalence rate ascribed to married couples in the state.
The Project Manager of AKSACA, Dr. Nkereuwem Etok stated this in response to recurring concern by Akwa Ibom indigenes on an erroneous presentation in a national newspaper on Aug. 1.
According to him, the current prevalence rate of HIV in the state is 10.8% (2014 Antenatal Sentinel Survey)
A breakdown of the 10.8% was given to comprise 4% female sex workers, 30.4% casual heterosexual couples, 51.6% married couples and more.
Sadly, a reporter mistook this figure to mean that 51.6% of Akwa Ibom married couples are living with HIV, rather than a component of the 10.8%.
He called on the public to disregard all previous records on the referenced information and jettison the bloated figure as it is a misrepresentation of the HIV situation in Akwa Ibom State.