Taraba Records HIV/AIDS 398 Deaths In 3rd, 2nd Quarters Of 2025

The Taraba State Aids Control Agency (TACA) has disclosed that 398 persons died from HIV/AIDS between the 3rd and 2nd quarters of 2025 in the State.

According to records from TACA, 50,310 people infected with HIV/AIDs people were receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) across various health facilities in the state.

The statistics further showed that, out of the total figure, 2,674 persons are between the ages of 0 and 19 years, 47,636 are between the ages of 20 and above, while 3,112 are female and 2,138 are male.

TACA said the death rate increased following the United States President Donald Trump’s stoppage of foreign aid to most countries, including Nigeria.

Speaking at an event to mark the 2025 World Aids Day in Jalingo, Governor Agbu Kefas called for a collective response to end HIV AIDS as a public health threat.

Governor Kefas said his administration has put in place measures to ensure that no one is marginalised from access to care and treatment.

Represented by the State Commissioner of Health, Dr Buma Gbansheya Bordiya, the governor stressed his commitment to streamline health sector reforms to meet the health needs of the people.

He emphasised inclusion to ensure that people living with HIV, and key populations such as women and vulnerable groups, were not marginalised.

The Director General of TACA, Dr Bako Ali Istifanus, stated that the state still has a lot to do in reducing the rate of infected persons.

“We cannot rest yet. To truly overcome distribution, we must sustain investments in prevention, treatment and community engagement.

He acknowledged that, “despite the distribution that followed the stop work order by the US government, about 50,310 people living with HIV are on ART as of October 2024 to September 2025.”

The State Coordinator, Association of Women Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Igbadu Elizabeth, expressed concerns that the death rate is not only getting higher but becoming a threat to their existence.

“In Taraba State, we have over 50,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS across the local governments, with Jalingo state capital alone having the highest number of the dreaded scourge, which is 16,000 and above.

“After the withdrawal of foreign aid by President Trump, we had a lot of challenges, which led to the loss of lives of our children and general persons living with HIV AIDS.

“The last quarter, from July, August and September 2025, we had about 215 deaths, which never happened in my 13 years of being in ART.

“And then, in this quarter, which is yet to end, that is from October 1st to the last week of November, we had over 83 persons who died,” Elizabeth explained.

She recalled that the state previously recorded about 100 cases of death in a year, “but with the two-quarter reports, it is quite alarming to us.”

According to the State Coordinator, the rising rate “is a threat to us. We, the people that live with HIV AIDS, are no longer living in fear of HIV, but we are living in fear of death. When will the next person die?” she asked.

She blamed malnutrition as a factor responsible for the high mortality rate and appealed to the state government to empower victims of the scourge with skills that would improve their livelihood.

“The government should also come to the aid of those who are malnourished. Presently, we have a lot of malnourished children across health facilities, and most of the cause of the dead is not natural, is as a result of malnutrition.”

She observed that most victims take their medication on an empty stomach, others have no transportation to access care, while some skip a time of their medicines because of hunger.

Elizabeth then called on the state to make available test kits across facilities, as most children died as a result of knowing their status late.