Ensure you know your HIV status as you step into new year ― NACA

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), has urged Nigerians to know their HIV status as they enter the New Year.

NACA said HIV testing remains the only gateway to HIV prevention, care and treatment.

In the last few years, NACA in partnership with development and implementing partners, including stakeholders at both States and Local Governments level, has taken steps to prevent new infection by consistently providing information, education, and availability of HIV/AIDS-related services to Nigerians irrespective of where they reside in the country.

The Director-General of NACA, Dr Aliyu Gambo said in his new year message said “we must build on the successes recorded so far as individuals, families and communities by ensuring deliberate efforts are put-in to avert new infection as we move into a new decade and most importantly, make efforts to know our HIV status, which allows individuals to make informed decisions, either way, the result turns out.

He assured Nigerians that as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to push for the last mile, NACA, through all stakeholders, will ensure 90 per cent of Nigerians know their HIV status, are placed on treatment and they achieve viral load suppression.

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He said: ‘’Why are we making noise saying HIV should be under control in the next couple of years? It is because we want Nigerians to know their HIV status, if negative they continue to live a normal life and if positive, they can get treated’’.

He further stated that being aware of one’s status is no longer difficult as Nigerians can now get tested in a matter of minutes by getting a test strip.

“Remember, people still get infected with HIV every day, mostly as a result of indiscriminate sexual behaviours,” he added.