Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), located in Kano State, one of Nigeria’s most populous states, serves over 20 million people. Among the many services provided, the hospital’s integrated Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) center currently supports around 6,900 people living with HIV. With the support provided by Georgetown Global Health Nigeria (GGHN) through the USAID-funded ACE 2 project, AKTH has become a beacon of quality care, primarily through its viremia clinic, where clients with unsuppressed viral loads are closely monitored and managed by a multidisciplinary team.

During a viremia clinic on Friday, the GGHN team became particularly interested in the case of a 27-year old woman whose viral load remained unsuppressed. Her name is Halimatu Abubakar, and her story is a testament to resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Born with HIV on February 2nd, 1998, in Kano State, Halimatu's early life was marked by significant loss and confusion as She lost her father at the tender age of 7 and her mother at 19. Halimah didn’t fully understand her condition until she was 17 years old, she struggled with accepting and managing her HIV status. When her mother finally disclosed the her health status, Halimatu was devasted by the news. “Finding out I was HIV-positive after everything I had heard about HIV and AIDS plunged me into deep depression,” she recalled. “I wasn’t sexually promiscuous, so why should this happen to me?” she often questioned.

Her mother, despite being a health worker, was unable to prevent the transmission of HIV to Halima. This was due to the challenges of the 1990s in northern Nigeria, where awareness of HIV/AIDS was low, stigma was high, and healthcare services were limited. However, Halima's journey was far from over.

Halimatu’s uncle became a pillar of strength in her life after her mother's passing, he took her into his home and encouraged her to focus on her health and future. His unwavering support gave Halimatu the stability she needed during her most vulnerable moments. His encouragement led her to seek counseling at AKTH, where she gradually regained her confidence and determination to live a fulfilling life. Halimatu's journey was profoundly impacted by her uncle's support and the guidance of AKTH adherence counselors.

In 2018, Halimatu met a man at the ART centre to whom she later got married. A few years into her marriage, Halimatu was once again struck by yet another tragic event: she lost her husband two months into her pregnancy. This sequence of events, from finding love to facing loss, had a profound impact on her health. She struggled to adhere to her treatment, and her viral load became unsuppressed. However, with consistently enhanced adherence counseling and a switch to an optimized treatment regimen, Halimatu worked her way back to health.

Through the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) program at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Halimatu successfully delivered a healthy, HIV-negative baby girl. Her daughter’s birth is a testament to the success of comprehensive HIV care and PMTCT services, which have been vital in reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Kano.

Now a mother and a beacon of hope, Halimatu is not only raising her daughter but also pursuing a public health degree. She is determined to advocate for HIV awareness and help others in her community live better and more fulfilling lives. Despite facing financial challenges and encountering occasional setbacks with her treatment plan, her unwavering dedication to her education and her role as a mother remains strong.

Halimatu’s story is one of resilience, courage, and hope. Her determination to overcome her challenges and secure a better future for her daughter inspires all. She continues to fight not only for herself but also for the countless others living with HIV in Nigeria, aiming to be a force for positive change in the ongoing fight against the epidemic.