By Asmau Ahmad with agency report
Dr Sebastian Wakdok, Project Director NACA/SURE-P HIV/AIDS programmes, on Thursday advised Nigerians to embrace regular test to know their HIV/AIDS status. Wakdok also advised those who indulge in risky sexual behaviours to test themselves more often against the disease.
The director gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said HIV testing and counselling was the point of entry in the treatment of HIV and AIDS in the country. Wakdok said NACA/SURE-P HIV/AIDS programme was committed to the eradication of the scourge in Nigeria.
“The free medical reach is to avail people the knowledge about their HIV status; those found to be positive would be given care and support programmes.’’ He added that the programme was targeting 80 million Nigerians to be covered under the Presidents Comprehensive Response Plan to get knowledge of their HIV status. He said the national HIV counselling and testing campaign commenced in December 2014 at some facilities in five pilot states and FCT.
He said at the AMAC Primary Health Care in Lugbe, Abuja, 3,387 persons were screened out which 62 were found to be HIV positive. He added that in Diete Koki Memorial Hospital, Opolo, Bayelsa, 3,648 people were screened and 69 were found to be living with the disease.
“In Agaie General Hospital in Niger state 23 were HIV positive out of 2,351 people screened. At General Hospital Oleli, Cross River, 49 were HIV positive out of 3,027,” he said. He disclosed that the exercise had been launched in Anambra and Enugu states, stressing that many states will soon join. He said the turnout of people was very encouraging; noting that “people are very receptive, we recorded a significant progress’’.
“Ailments such malaria, typhoid, hypertension and other diseases were also treated and referrals were made where necessary.
“Many communities where the exercises were conducted complain that their water is not purified and clean,’’ he said. Wakdox urged the people living with HIV/AIDS to continue with their treatment.
“It is not a cure but it will avail you the opportunity to live a normal life, the drug will keep the virus low so that it did not affect your immunity.
“It is not different from hypertension patient or diabetes who is always taking drugs to be healthy,” he said.
Besides, the director enjoined those who knew their status and were afraid to take drugs to desist and have a rethink. He stressed that they should access the free treatment and if they stay healthy they can still contribute to the development of this country irrespective of their status. “The general public should use the opportunity to know their HIV status whenever the exercise gets to their domain,’’ Wakdok urged.
