No state has 86% HIV rate – FG

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has cautioned Nigerians to ignore a misleading graphic making the rounds on social media, which falsely claims that HIV prevalence in Port Harcourt has surged to 86 per cent.

In a statement shared on X on Sunday, the ministry dismissed the circulating image as entirely fabricated, noting that the figures and language used do not resemble any authorised public health advisory.

According to the ministry, no state in the country has an HIV prevalence rate close to the alarming statistics being spread. It stressed that the purported announcement is inconsistent with official formats and has not been issued by any recognised agency.

The ministry encouraged the public to consult verified sources such as the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), and the ministry’s own periodic reports for accurate data on HIV trends.

The fake graphic—designed to imitate the ministry’s official templates—claimed that HIV cases in Port Harcourt had jumped from 43 per cent to 86 per cent, alleging that hundreds of thousands of residents were infected and that 40 per cent of cases involved people aged 16 to 25. It concluded with a fabricated warning declaring the city unsafe.

Authorities urged Nigerians to refrain from circulating unconfirmed health claims and to rely only on credible government sources. The ministry reaffirmed its dedication to providing evidence-based information to safeguard public health.