- Many still afraid of the infection
- Going for screening has a lot of advantages – Experts
As Nigeria weekend joined the global community to mark this year’s World AIDS Day, findings have shown that the Federal Government and partners need to do more to intensify awareness on HIV and provide more screening centres, as many Nigerians still do not know their HIV status despite the awareness so far.
Going by the findings of our correspondent, many are still afraid of the infection. Though HIV screening is free, those who spoke with The Point say that they would have loved to know their status but for the fear of outcome of the result they were held back. It must be noted that HIV is today effectively treated with Anti-Retroviral Drugs.
Mrs. Grace Moses, a 44-year old food vendor and mother of four, said, ” I am afraid. I may go for the test now and hear what I do not want to hear and the fear alone will kill me. My mind will not be at rest. If I have HIV for instance, I won’t be able to run my business.”
” I am afraid. I may go for the test now and hear what I do not want to hear and the fear alone will kill me. My mind will not be at rest. If I have HIV for instance, I won’t be able to run my business.”
According to her, “The wahala of HIV is too much. So, it’s better you don’t know you have it than when you know. That was what killed one of my uncles, because he was told he has HIV. When the man fell sick, I asked him what happened, he told me that he went to the hospital and the doctor told him that he has HIV with his wife.
“So, since that time, to go the hospital and check myself has become a problem for me, because I am afraid. That my uncle, what killed him was because he was told he has HIV and not the HIV itself because after he was told, he started thinking too much and later died of hypertension.”
Kehinde Kazeem, 32, said his own kind of fear is that of using HIV infected equipment to run a test on him and not necessarily the fear of HIV infection itself.
“This is what is preventing me from going for screening . Another thing that has made me not to go for screening is because I feel I am okay. Though I have a girl friend, I use condom to protect myself whenever I want to have sex with her and I trust her very well.”
But for Deji Tomola, who is in his 20s, the reason for not knowing his HIV status is not that of fear per se but the hospital he will go and do the screening.
“The problem of HIV infection sometimes come from the hospital that conducts the test. There may be a mix up when the hospital is running the test and then give me another person’s result and say I am HIV positive. So that is why I have not gone for the screening”, he said.
He added: “I am not married yet. But what I do is that I use condom whenever I want to have sex. So, I am well protected against HIV.”
For 27-year old Orisajo Ayodeji, knowing his HIV status does not matter.
“Actually the reason why I have not done HIV test is because I don’t really count it as anything . Moreover, I am very sure that I am HIV negative. Though I have never gone for the test, I believe I am okay because I don’t mess around though I have a girl friend. When we want to make love, I use condom and I can never get HIV infection with condom. But if somebody encourages me, I can go for the test,” he said.
Chris Ojukwu, 53, on his part said he did HIV screening in 1997 when the organisation he works with, mandated him to do so.
Ojukwu, who said his organisation never disclosed the result of the test to him, said he believes he is okay, though he has not gone for another screening since then.
“I know my body, I am the person that is controlling my body, I am not afraid of the test,” he said.
The case of Mrs. Victoria Okeowo and Mrs. Mulikatu Muslim are however interesting. Both women said they were not afraid of HIV infection , only that they cannot leave their business to go and do the test.
But the story of Patrick Okolo was different as he goes for screening every three months. According him, knowing his HIV status has enabled him live a careful life in order not to be infected.
The response of these respondents clearly explains the importance of this year’s theme, “ Know Your Status.” The World AIDS Day is marked every December 1 to encourage communities to unite against HIV, show support for people living with the disease, and remember those who have passed away due to AIDS.
Speaking on this year’s theme and why Nigerians need to know their status, Minister of Health , Prof. Isaac Adewole, said everyone taking step to know his status would enable Nigeria meet the first 90 target by 2020.
He said the theme for 2018 was chosen to emphasise the need for people to know their HIV status and also to remove barriers to HIV testing.
According to him, only 38 percent of Nigerians know their status, which leaves a big gap between attaining the first 90 target by 2020.The minister said attaining the first target is key to attaining the second and third of the 90-90-90 target.
He noted that the success story in the field of HIV has been remarkable, as Nigeria is moving towards eradication of the disease by 2030.
On his part, Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS , Dr. Sani Aliyu, stressed that AIDS response has made a significant progress, as people living with HIV can lead healthy and productive lives.He noted that the results from the ongoing National HIV survey will improve understanding of the Nigerian HIV
epidemic.
Concerned about the responses of some Nigerians in knowing their HIV status , a Professor of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof. Suleiman Akanmu, called for more awareness and collective effort on HIV scourge to demystify the virus.
He urged people to remove fear and go for screening because with the availability of Anti-Retroviral Drugs, the virus does not cut short the life span of anybody.
Akanmu reminded those afraid of HIV/AIDS that there are still other killer diseases out there than HIV/AIDS, like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, pointing out that screening has a lot of advantages.
He said, ” When you know you status, it will help you to adjust to certain life style. Assuming you have it after screening, it will help protect your organs because HIV causes chronic illness as a result of immune complex disorder. So, immune complex disorder which causes end stage damage of vital organs of the body can be prevented through screening.”
