By Aliyu Dangida

DUTSE — The Executive Secretary, Jigawa State Action Committee on Control of AIDS (JISACA), Dr. Bashir Ahmed, has disclosed that there are about 5,000 people living with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the state with about 26, 000 yet to be registered.

Speaking, yesterday, at a ceremony to mark the World AIDS Day at the state Police Command headquarters clinic, Dutse, Jigawa State, Ahmed noted the registered 5,000 people are those currently receiving the retro viral drugs in 14 facilities across the state.

While regretting that about 26,000 people living with AIDS are yet to be registered and have access to the retro viral drugs, Ahmed said the state is winning the battle in the urban centres through enlightenment and awareness about the existence of the dreaded disease.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abdullahi Eskurawa, who represented the state Commissioner of Police, Usman Tilli, advised police serving in the state to get tested in order to know their status.

He said: “It is important for us to know our status as AIDS has made many families to loose their loved ones.”

The officer in charge of the Police Clinic, Deputy Commissioner of Police Emmanuel Gadzama, commended the state government for assisting the clinic with some testing kits and other facilities.