By SundiataPOST, Abuja
The Nasarawa State Aids Control Agency (NASACA) has extended its campaign against HIV and AIDS to primary and secondary schools across the state, to sensitise the students to the dangers of the disease.
Dr Zakri Umar, the Executive Secretary of NASACA, said this on Thursday at a sensitisation programme organised for primary and secondary schools in Lafia.
Umar said the agency decided to take the campaign to students at primary and secondary schools in order to change their psyche and reorientate them.
He said the effort was in line with the state government’s commitment to eradicate HIV and AIDS in the state and ensure that no new infection was recorded by 2014.
“The awareness campaign to schools is part of the new strategies adopted by the agency to educate the vulnerable in the state on the dangers of the disease,” he said.
He assured the people of the state that the agency would make adequate arrangements and collaborate with all the relevant authorities to ensure that students were tested to ascertain their status.
He said though the rate of persons dying from the virus in the state had reduced, the agency would not relent in its campaign to educate people on the need to protect themselves from getting infected.
According to him, “most students at this stage are yet to start indulging in sexual act, hence the need to sensitise them to the dangers of the disease.
“So, it is better to provide them with proper information on the consequences of engaging in unprotected sex and sharing sharp objects with people at this stage before it is too late,” he said.
The executive secretary promised that the agency would organise a similar programme for all primary and secondary schools in all the local government and development areas of the state.
He called on teachers, head teachers and principals to always sensitise their students to the dangers of the virus, to rid the state of the disease.
