REPORTER: PEACE AGBO
As the globe is warming up to commemorate the 2025 World AIDS/AIDS Day, Nigerians have been called to ascertain their HIV status to reduce spread of the virus and encourage its treatment.
The Director General, Abia State Agency for the Control of AIDS, ABSACA, Dr Uloaku Emma-Ukaegbu made the call while speaking to Newsmen in Umuahia.
Dr Emma-Ukaegbu explained that for Nigeria to join the rest of the world in eradicating the prevalence of HIV/AIDS by 2030, there should be more awareness on testing to know the status of residents.
According to the ABSACA DG, identifying people living the virus would help to prevent it from spreading and noted that over fifty one thousand people are currently receiving treatment of the virus in the state.
While describing the theme for this year’s celebration, “Overcoming Destruction, Sustaining the AIDS Response” as apt, Dr Emma-ukaegbu it will provide the opportunity for countries like Nigeria to sustain HIV/AIDS response, following the withdrawal of some donor partners.
She said that the federal government had engaged local pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs for the treatment of HIV which by 2026 would be in place and called for more budgetary provisions to eradicate the virus by 2030.
The Director General commended the Abia state government for the fifteen percent budgetary provisions for the health sector, noting that it would go along way to sustain the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state as the prevalence for Abia state stood at two point one percent.
Dr Ukaegbu pointed out that the agency had extended the awareness to secondary schools and tertiary institutions and communities as well as establishing HIV/AIDS clubs.
She pleaded for abstinence from sex ,faithfulness to one partner, use of contraceptives, avoid sharing of shape objects and unscreened blood transfusion.
