There is no cure for HIV/AIDS yet and scientific work in the pipeline is not sure there will be solution in the next two years, the Director General, National Action for the Control of AIDS, Dr Aliyu Gambo, has said.
Dr Gambo who made this known Thursday at the Annual Media Interactive Dinner and Award night organised by his agency said, The they will continue in the advocacy for every Nigerian to know their status and get treated if positive to suppress the viral loads.
“But why are we making noise and saying HIV should be under control in the next couple of years? It is because we want Nigerians to know their status, if negative they continue their normal lives and if negative, they get treated. That is what brought about the “Undetected equals Untransmittable, U=U” campaign that will make communities involve and take control of HIV/AIDS related issues.”
Dr Gambo said, knowing one HIV status is no longer difficult adding that what we need now is just getting the test strip and test in a matter of minute.
“The ‘U=U’ campaign is to help people to know about their status thereby suppressing HIV in their family and communities. By personal testing you have helped to control HIV. Just to take a test strip and test yourself in one minute.”
The DG who said the target is getting to zero transmission of HIV in the country added that they will continue to push so that HIV can be put under control.
He lauded the effort of the Nigeria media in advocacy that has made HIV related issue to be in the front burner
while saying that the messages on HIV/AIDS wouldn’t be clear it the public without the support of the media.
“That the public is aware of HIV/AIDS, the market women, the secondary school students, people on the street, the intellectual, women and children and everyone discussing HIV, from door to door, it wouldn’t have been possible without the media.”
He also said as an agency, they want to continue to nurture the relationship and make sure the relationship between them and the media is fertilised to further grow.
“We want to grow together because you have helped us to reach certain clime and have reach the position of no going back. We need everyone, your services.We commend you all and individuals that have made the difference in creating awareness in this area.
“You have made a huge different for making my work and that of my predecessors easy. Imagine, if we have to take it, community by community, household by house hold, towns and cities, from one place to the others like the politicians how difficult will that be. But it was you that have made it easy in spreading the message and we now hear discussion and hear people saying something because they know something about HIV.”
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