The Oyo State Government has called on all pregnant women to undergo HIV testing to know their status.
The appeal was made in a statement issued on Sunday in Ibadan by Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation.
The statement revealed that Dr. Gbola Adetunji, Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OYSACA), made the call during a campaign to mark World AIDS Day 2024.
This year’s World AIDS Day theme is “Take the Right Paths: Sustain HIV Response and Stop HIV among Children.”
Adetunji emphasized the importance of pregnant women registering for antenatal care and undergoing HIV testing at least twice during their pregnancy—once during antenatal care and again during labor. He stressed that if a woman tests positive, antiretroviral drugs can be given to prevent the virus from passing to the unborn child.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s significant role in the global HIV epidemic, particularly among children. “In 2020, Nigeria was responsible for a large portion of new child HIV infections, with an estimated 21,000 cases—the highest worldwide,” Adetunji said. He added that Nigeria has the third-largest HIV burden globally, after Mozambique and South Africa, with a prevalence rate of 2.9% among pregnant women.
Adetunji pointed out that the fight against AIDS requires engaging and supporting everyone affected by or at risk for HIV, especially vulnerable and marginalized groups such as children, men who have sex with men, transgender people, drug users, sex workers, and people in prisons.
He urged the public to avoid stigmatizing people living with HIV and instead offer them support and compassion.
Adetunji also encouraged people to take advantage of free HIV testing during the World AIDS Day observance. He stressed that with early diagnosis and consistent antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV can lead long, healthy lives, just like those who are HIV-negative.
The OYSACA Chairman emphasized that achieving the goal of ending HIV/AIDS by 2030 is possible if everyone works together to ensure early testing and treatment.
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