Source: punchng.com<\/p>\n
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS has urged Nigerians to know their HIV status as they enter the New Year.<\/p>\n
The Director General of NACA, Dr.\u00a0Gambo Gumel Aliyu, in a statement\u00a0 signed by Head, Public Relations and Protocol Division of NACA,\u00a0Toyin Aderibigbe, advised that it was safer to know one\u2019s HIV status at an early stage.<\/p>\n
He noted that NACA would intensify efforts in providing information about the infection, urging other Nigerians to join the campaign on HIV\/AIDS prevention.<\/p>\n
Aliyu said, \u201cThe National Agency for the Control of AIDS recommends Nigerians to know their HIV status as we enter into a New Year.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour HIV story begins with knowing your HIV status, which is the safest gateway to HIV prevention, care and treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sharing the activities of his agency in HIV\/AIDS prevention and control, Aliyu said, \u201cIn the last few years, NACA has taken bold steps to prevent new HIV infections through consistent provision of information on prevention, available and accessible HIV\/AIDS services to Nigerians irrespective of where they reside in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must build on the successes recorded so far at individual, family and community levels to prevent new HIV infections as we move into the last mile decade for the control and eradication of HIV.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowing your HIV status allows you to make informed decisions either way the result turns out.\u201d<\/p>\n
The statement also quoted Aliyu as assuring Nigerians that, \u201cAs we join the rest of the world to push for the last mile, NACA, working with all stakeholders, will ensure that 90 percent of Nigerians who live with HIV know their status and are placed on life-saving treatment and achieve viral load suppression to keep them alive and healthy, and prevent new infection of their partners and unborn babies.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowing one\u2019s HIV status is no longer difficult, as Nigerians can now test themselves in a matter of minutes using self-test kits or call NACA at 6222 for guidance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[62,52,2592,2663,53],"class_list":["post-3777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aids-hiv","tag-aids","tag-hiv","tag-naca","tag-nigerians","tag-treatment"],"yoast_head":"\n