Feb 14: Why It Is Expedient To Know Your HIV/AIDS Status

Afimag.com –

In the spirit of the February 14 Valentine’s Day, the Director General of the National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Gambo Aliyu, has called on all Nigerians to use the opportunity to know their HIV status.

NACA D-G who spoke on the importance of all Nigerians knowing their HIV status in Abuja, said it is beginning of its prevention, treatment, and care of HIV/AIDS.

He said that it was reasonable for all Nigerians, especially the youths to convey love within the ambit of caring deeply for their loved ones with the intention of protecting them from all forms of harm and avoiding risk factors that will make them vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other STIs.

Recall that in 2021, 1.9 million people in Nigeria were living with HIV, and women were the most affected group according to the statistics released by United Nation.

The National AIDS and STDs Control Programme (NASCP), reported that about 90 per cent of Nigerians who are HIV positive know their status, while 98 per cent of those who know their status are on HIV treatment and 95 per cent of those on treatment have attained viral suppression.

At the end of September 2022, over 1.6 million persons living with HIV in Nigeria were on treatment, compared to 838,020 persons in 2017. The number of HIV treatment sites has increased from 251 in 2007 to 2,262 in 2020.

Gambo Aliyu said, “As we express love on this day, remember to love wisely. As members of the wider society, your health and productivity are vital to the future of our country. So, I urge you to avoid risky behaviours as we commemorate Valentine’s Day.”