Come forward for testing, AHF tells Nigerians on World AIDS Day

AIDS Health Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has called on Nigerians to go for HIV tests to know their status as part of efforts to fight the virus.

Dr Echey Ijezie, the country programme director for AHF Nigeria, made this call during an awareness programme to commemorate World AIDS Day 2021.

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“Everyone should know their status and ensure that risky behaviours are avoided,” he said in an interview with journalists.

He said AHF decided to engage the youths to create awareness as they take more risks and are more exposed.

Dr Ijezie said the World AIDS Day 2021 was: “To remember those still living with HIV/AIDS and to thank all the partners and founders who have made it possible for many people to be placed on treatment, who have made it possible that people are receiving life-saving drugs, who have made it possible that we are placing more Nigerians and more people all over the world on drugs.”

He lamented that COVID-19 took attention away from HIV/AIDS in 2020, saying that affected the fight against the virus.

“We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the entire world. However, despite the pandemic, AHF Nigeria wants to draw the attention of the entire public not to forget the HIV issue that has been dealing with us for the past 40 years.

“We want to end HIV pandemic, we want to end inequality, we want to ensure that there is financing for HIV/AIDS.

“We want to fight the pandemic to a standstill and we want people to know that if we put our hands together, we can end this pandemic,” he added.

Steve Aborishade, Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, also called for more attention to HIV/AIDS, adding that “HIV/AIDS is still killing people and many people are contracting it.”

He said a lot of resources were diverted to the fight against COVID-19 in 2020 and there was a need to remind people about HIV/AIDS.

On his part, Mishack Godwin, 18, said he was there to have his HIV test, adding that he had been engaging in risking activities.