IHVN offers free HIV screening to 400 FCT residents

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has offered free HIV screening to about 400 residents of Ruga community in Abuja. Speaking during the exercise at the weekend, Mr. Ngozi Ajaero, Programme Lead for  HIV Testing Services (HTS) and key population of  IHVN, said it was done as part of activities to commemorate this year’s […]

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has offered free HIV screening to about 400 residents of Ruga community in Abuja.

Speaking during the exercise at the weekend, Mr. Ngozi Ajaero, Programme Lead for  HIV Testing Services (HTS) and key population of  IHVN, said it was done as part of activities to commemorate this year’s World AIDS Day.

He said the exercise was carried out to sensitize the residents about the disease and to enable  them know their HIV status because the theme of this year’s commemoration of the day is ‘Know Your Status.”

“We are out here to ensure that people get tested and know their status, and those that are positive we will immediately link them to facilities to start their treatment. We have support facilities in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). We also give those who are negative and need counseling so they will continue to live negative,” Ajaero said.

The IHVN programme leader said Ruga was selected for the exercise because of the large concentration of key populations such as female sex workers, and those who inject drugs.

He said to break the chain of transmission there was need to find all persons who are HIV positive and link them properly for treatment.

He advised the residents to adopt preventive measures and that partners who are positive should ensure their partners are tested.

He advised Nigerians to go for testing and know their HIV status, adding that knowing one’s HIV status on time makes  HIV drugs to work better because the viral load is not so high and the CD4 count of the person is  still very high.