The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has enjoined adolescents and young people in the country to be actively involved in the fight against HIV/AIDs.
The director general of the agency , Dr Gambo Aliyu, made the call during the National Symposium on HIV Prevention Models for Adolescents and Young People with support from USAID, through the Key Population Care-1 Project implemented by Heartland Alliance and John Snow Incorporated (JSI).
Represented by Dr James Anenih, the Director of Community Prevention and Care Service of the agency, Dr Aliyu said it is important for their voices to be heard because the government is developing initiatives to empower youths in the prevention and treatment of HIV AIDS.
The NACA DG said evidence compiled last year indicated that a huge part of the population generating HIV infection is adolescents and young people, noting that the response now is to engage them in specific services that would be tailored towards prevention and treatment.
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He said part of the strategy the government is deploying for adolescents and young people is to empower them to reduce behaviours that put them at the risk of contracting HIV.
He also called on youth in the country to get tested and know their status.
The Country Lead, JSI Research and Training Incorporated, Dr Olawale Durisinmi, said the organisation was providing technical support to the government on HIV implementation to ensure that interventions are designed in a way that would benefit Nigerians.
He said it was also geared towards ensuring that the needs and challenges of the target key populations of the intervention were addressed.
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