Fear As Nigeria Record 75,000 New HIV Infections
Eric Adah
The Director General of National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, said 75,000 new infected HIV cases and 45,000 HIV – related deaths were recorded in 2023.
She made this known at a two – day National Prevention Technical working Group.( NPTWG) Meeting organized by NACA in Abuja.
This revelation came with mixed reactions by Nigerians. Dr. Thomas Uchendu, decry the level of negligence and lack of proper awareness to be the main reasons behind the highest number of new infected cases of HIV and AIDS rising in the country just in one year.
He said “the number is very high and urgent attention needed to be taking all my relevant agencies to curtail the spread of the virus and also prevent the number of persons dying of HIV related deaths.”
Dr. Thomas also attributed the high spread of the virus and high death recorded of HIV related cases to “excessive alcoholic intake, hard drugs and traditional beliefs. He explained further that some persons who keep multiple sex partners and excessive drinking risk contacting the disease.”
Dr. Thomas also said some persons that “hold traditional beliefs don’t still believe that HIV/AIDS is real and is killing people.”
He further advises people to always go for medical tests before getting married and even after marriage, it’s important to always go for tests regularly. “Dr. Uchendu stated that “HIV/AIDS is not a life sentence, but if an infected persons adhered to medical treatment, he will still leave a free life like any other persons. HIV/AIDS patients that are not yet married can look for a life partner that is already infected to help reduced the spread of the virus. “On her part, Dorcas, who said she still considers HIV/AIDS as fearful and resists willing tests.
However, she said as a result of the fear of being infected, she adheres to the protection method (condom). She also attributed “the high rate of new infections to the high cost of condoms. Free distribution of condoms to people can help reduce the virus.”
Dorcas said times are hard and many people cannot afford to buy condoms which sold for 400 to 500 as against 100, it was sold before. She appeals to the government and NGO’S to continue giving condoms to people free as they are giving the drugs free to HIV and AIDS patience, they should create more awareness in order to control the high spread of new infected persons.
An HIV/AIDS patient who spoke on the condition of anonymity in Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, said that he was shocked and traumatized when he was confirmed Positive in 2009. Something he said, he will never forget and he thought it was the end of the world for him, the counseling unit saved his life.
With the virus, he got married to a woman who was also a patient that they meet at the general counseling session and God has blessed them with four children 3 boys and a girl that are not infected with the virus.He advises those who are already infected to always engage in sexual affairs with those who have also been tested positive, as a way of reducing the virus.
Mr. Vincent Adachaba, Who works with APIN NGO, said people that are positive should not be afraid to come for drugs, stating that their NGO can even trace one to their preferred location and give you drugs. He advises against stigmatization of people living with the virus.
Adachaba also encouraged the use of Protections such as condoms and lubricants to prevent the spread of the virus. HIV/AIDS; human immune system disease caused by the human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), damages the immune system and interferes with the body’s ability to fight infections and disease.
HIV is spread through contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.
There is no known cure for HIV/AIDS at the moment, but medications can control the infection and prevent disease progression. Some people with HIV develop flu- like symptoms 2 to 4 weeks after getting the virus . People taking HIV medications may not have other symptoms for years. As the virus multiplies and destroys immune cells, symptoms can develop such as fever , fatigue and swollen lymph nodes.
Untreated HIV typically turns into AIDS in about 8 to 10 years.
An Estimated, 2023 spectrum placed the number of people living with HIV in Nigeria at 1, 910, 405.
