The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

  • World AIDS Day: Let’s fight the scourge

    World AIDS Day: Let’s fight the scourge

    By Moses Emorinken

    World AIDS Day is observed every 1st of December. It is a day dedicated to spreading awareness about the dreadful Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( AIDS ).

    The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is “Right to health”. The World Health Organization highlights the need for all 36.7 million people living with HIV and those who are vulnerable and affected by the epidemic, to reach the goal of universal health coverage.

    Today, we join the World Health Organisation ( WHO ), United Nations ( UN ) and other global organisations to campaign for global public health.

    We also remember those who have lost their lives to the disease and commiserate with those that have lost friends, colleagues and family members.

    The battle against this disease is not a one-man fight but a collective battle to reduce its effect to the barest minimum.

    Whether we like it or not, we all share a common destiny, and as such must contribute our quota to securing and creating a safe and healthy society that we can all be proud of.

    Recent statistics from The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS ( UNAIDS ) reveal that in 2016, Nigeria had 220,000 new HIV infections and 160 000 AIDS-related deaths.

    There were 3,200,000 people living with HIV in 2016, among whom 30% were accessing antiretroviral therapy.

    Among pregnant women living with HIV, 32% were accessing treatment or prophylaxis to prevent transmission of HIV to their children.

    An estimated 37,000 children were newly infected with HIV due to mother-to-child transmission. Among people living with HIV, approximately 24% had suppressed viral loads.

    Also, globally, UNAIDS statistics revealed that:

    In 2016 (June 2017) an estimated:

    1. 20.9 million [18.4 million–21.7 million] people were accessing antiretroviral therapy

    2. 36.7 million [30.8 million–42.9 million] people globally were living with HIV

    3. 1.8 million [1.6 million–2.1 million] people became newly infected with HIV

    4. 1.0 million [830 000–1.2 million] people died from AIDS-related illnesses

    Major Populations most affected by HIV in Nigeria are:

    1. Sex workers, with an HIV prevalence of 14.4%.
    2. Gay men and other men who have sex with men, with an HIV prevalence of 23%.
    3. People who inject drugs, with an HIV prevalence of 3.4%.

    Nigeria’s HIV epidemic affects all population groups and geographic areas of the country. It is the second largest epidemic globally.

    We need to begin to take decisive actions as individuals, organisations and government to tackle this pervasive disease threatening our collective survival. The extent to which we can extinguish this scourge depends heavily on each of us.

    Although Since 2010, new HIV infections have decreased by 21% and AIDS-related deaths have decreased by 6%; there is still need for further research to improve the current available treatment plans.

    Difference between HIV and AIDS:

    HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus leads to infection and weakens the immune system.

    It is pertinent to know that HIV can be transmitted from one person to another. On the flip, AIDS is a condition that is acquired only after a person has contracted the HIV infection, and it is the final stage of the HIV infection.

    Mediums of HIV transmission:

    1. Unprotected sex (anal or vaginal).
    2. Sharing contaminated sharp objects like needles, syringes etc. Also, the use of unsterilized clippers for barbing and shaving hairs can be a source of contracting the virus.
    3. Receiving unsafe injections, blood transfusions, tissue transplantation etc.

    Treatment of HIV:

    HIV can be suppressed by the administration of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.

    It cannot be cured at the moment, but its effect can be weakened, thereby strengthening the individual’s ability to resist infections.

  • Edo to partner FG on HIV/AIDS management

    Edo to partner FG on HIV/AIDS management

    The Edo State Government is to partner with the Federal Government to close the existing gaps in the management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).

    Governor Godwin Obaseki disclosed this on Wednesday when he played host to the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, who led a delegation of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and implementing partners on an advocacy visit to Government House, Benin City, on Wednesday.

    Obaseki said his administration was committed to strengthening health systems to allow for effective management of diseases which include HIV/AIDs, and added that a committee with representatives of NACA would be set up to come up with an Action Plan on the models and strategies for the effective management of the disease in the state.

    “It is important that we contain HIV, but there are some key things we need to do. We also need laboratories and the right management models to make it work,” he added.

    Earlier, the Minister of Health who was represented by Dr. Evelyn Ngige, Director for Public Health in the Federal Ministry of Health, said there was the need for the state government to increase funding for HIV/AIDS activities.

    Adewole explained that there was still a wide gap between those who require HIV care and treatment and those who can access it in Edo State. He disclosed that an estimated 173,660 persons were living with the virus in the state while 25, 730 Persons living with the virus were on Anti-Retroviral treatment.

    The minister said that the state in 2016 spent N5, 000,000 on the State’s Sustainability Road Map (SRM) for the disease. He said the estimated project cost to implement the SRM in the state was about N271, 432, 118.

    “We want Edo to earmark at least 0.5 to one per cent of its monthly federal allocation for the funding of HIV/AIDs Sustainability Road Map and the provision of HIV/AIDs commodities in the state,” the minister said.

  • NOA, NACA partner to stop spread of HIV, AIDS

    NOA, NACA partner to stop spread of HIV, AIDS

    The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says it will partner with National Agency for Control of Aids (NACA) to strategise and stop the scourge of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) at the grassroots.

    Dr Garba Abari, the Director-General of NOA made this known when the Director-General of NACA, Dr Sani Aliyu paid him a courtesy call at NOA Headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.

    Abari said the time had come for the campaign against HIV and Aids to take root at the grassroots level where the scourge was prevalent.

    According to Abari, the high rate of spread of the disease has become worrisome despite effort of government and international community at curbing the spread in the last 10 years.

    “If information does not get to the lower community level of the society, we will continue to have this high incidence in our communities.”

    He said the NOA would transcend the traditional channels of medical advocacy through mass media to face to face interaction and other communication platforms which the agency usually deployed to achieve its communication tasks.

    He outlined the structure of the agency at the lower community levels that had helped in different collaborations with other agencies.

    “With the Community Orientation and Mobilization Officers at the grassroots level, the agency speaks different local languages across the breadth and width of country with credible and reliable source of information,” Abari said.

    Earlier, the D-G of NACA,  said that the essence of the visit was to seek ways of benefitting from NOA’s platforms for propagating government programmes and policies, especially to mobilise grassroots support for the campaign against HIV and AIDS.

    Aliyu said his priorities include increasing government funding for HIV and AIDS projects in view of the dwindling patronage from foreign donors.

    “The foreign donors had borne more than 80 per cent of huge cost of efforts to curb the scourge and to reduce mother-to-child transmission rate to the minimum.

    He said that only 10 out of the 36 states of the country were contributing their counterpart funding.

    Aliyu added that states with the highest prevalence rate of HIV had not contributed a dime to the fund in the last two years.

  • Bill to prohibit tribal marks passes second reading in Senate

    Bill to prohibit tribal marks passes second reading in Senate

    A Bill for an Act to provide for the Prohibition of Facial Mutilation, Offences, Prosecution and Punishment of Offenders on Tuesday passed second reading in the Senate.

    The Bill is also for the Protection of victims under threat of facial mutilation and other related Matters.

    Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi), who sponsored the bill, said that there was no doubt that Africans of old used tribal marks as a means of proper identification.

    Leading debate on the bill, Melaye said in those days, members of the same village, tribe or lineage had the same tribal marks.

    Melaye said that the hometown and lineage of a child or anyone with tribal marks were immediately identified, while outsiders who did not have such marks were also spotted.

    He further explained that parents also used tribal marks to lay credence to the legitimacy of their children.

    However, the lawmaker said “all these reasons cannot be scientifically proven, and hence cannot enjoy the support for this harmful practice’’.

    “The irony of these marks is that it makes victims subjects of mockery by friends. Imagine someone being called a tiger simply because of the thick cheeks resulting from facial marks.

    “ These people have been subjected to different reactions. Some have lamented the marks that are bequeathed on them as generational inheritance.

    “ Many have cursed the day which this dastardly act was performed on them.

    “Many of the grown adults have confessed that the most terrific debacle of their lives is their tribal marks. Some have become eunuchs because of this stigma.

    “Imagine a boy in the class of 25 pupils carrying a tribal mark. His mates will call him the boy with the railway line. They are emblems of disfiguration.

    “Some of them have developed low self-esteem and most times treated with scorn and ridicule including rejection by the female folks.

    “The reactions of people who interact with them say it dampens and lowers their spirit,’’ he said.

    Melaye stated that besides the health implication of the practice, it was an infringement on the rights of children, adding that every Nigerian child deserved the right to live.

    According to him, it is time a law is enacted to stop the dastardly act, as the popularity and acceptance of facial marks are waning.

    “People now prefer that their identity cards remain in their pockets not faces anymore.

    “Long before the awareness programme on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), many people, mostly children who were subjected to tribal marks had inadvertently been infected with infectious diseases.

    “Sharp instruments used by locals were not sterilised leading to risk of AIDS, including Hepatitis B and C,” Malaye added.

    Melaye said the bill, when passed into law would help to check the act, which was a sign of man’s inhumanity to man in a country as great as Nigeria.

    He called on his colleagues to support the passage of the bill.

    Contributing to the debate, the Chief Whip, Sen. Olusola Adeyeye commended Melaye for coming up with such an important bill.

    According to him, many children have suffered stigmatisation as a result of the practice.

    Adeyeye described the act as evil, adding that if it was for the purpose of identification, there was no way any parent would not identify their children without tribal marks.

    “In the 21st century, there is no need to argue that either because of religion or custom someone would use sharp object on their children just for identification.

    “The Constitution provides that the primary function of government is protection of lives.

    “It is disheartening to note that children who have not been tested to know if they are short of blood are being made to lose blood.

    “In the 21st century, not only this chamber but every chamber in Africa should rise up to this occasion to stop the pains being inflicted on our children,” he said.

    The Chief Whip called for stiff penalty to deter others, adding “our generation must permanently stop that reproach’’.

    “ I pray no child will have the kind of mark I have on my hands. This should be banned and we will proscribe severe penalties for both the parents and the so called surgeons,” he added.

    The Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio equally supported the bill, saying it was a welcome development.

    “In those days, people wanted it because they were from royal homes, but these days it is no longer in vogue.

    “The international community will be happy we rose to this occasion, so I support this with all my heart.

    “It is a violation of the rights of children. The child has no option and can’t fight back. Outside the infection, pain can generate something else and lead to insanity.

    “If we have a law already in existence, we should merge the bill with that of female genital mutilation because they are similar,’’ he said.

    He also called for stiff penalties for offenders to serve as deterrent to others.

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, said the bill was commendable in view of what children from some parts of the country were being subjected to.

    “I am aware that under our constitution, especially Section 34 (1) forbids torture in humans and degrading treatment.

    “This is no doubt inhuman, and it is our responsibility as lawmakers to add flesh to the bones of our constitution.

    “On a day like this, I am proud of the senate and I believe that when it goes through the second reading it will go to the committee and return as quickly as possible.

    “This is so that we pass it and ensure that it is implemented as quickly as possible to save our children from this inhuman degrading treatment,’’ he said.

    The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to be returned to senate in four weeks.