The Coordinator of Area Council Action on Aids (ACACA) in Kuje area council, Mr. Ezie Emenike has said that the dreaded Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) will be eradicated in the year 2030, as targeted by the World body.
Emenike who made this declaration while addressing the quarterly meeting of stakeholders and partners of ACACA in Kuje, said that the aim of ACACA is to sensitize the public, on the need for people to protect themselves against being infected with the dreaded virus.
He stated that the HIV/AIDS Pandemic is a monster beyond any measurement, which must be fought with all vigour by every body.
The coordinator said ACACA has Constituted a five-man committee headed by Sir Henry Ugbaja, to map up strategies against December 1, 2016, to mark World Health Day in Kuje.
He appealed to all collaborative agencies in the fight, for assistance in the promotion of the policy within their various workplaces, so that the fight against HIV will be totally successful.
The Kuje Hospital HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT), reported that its handles four different unit which include, Family Planning, Laboratory, Social Welfare, and Youth Friendly.
According to the report, about 80 per cent of all Walk-Ins HCT are carried out in the facility. However, 6 per cent was recorded as total enrolment, while 94 per cent was recorded as total lost.
In her contribution, the senior programme officer for Women Friendly Initiative (WFI), Mrs. Frances Teshoma, said voluntary testing in a recommended laboratory or hospital, is the only sure way to test and know our HIV status.
She added that all workplace policy on HIV/AIDS should discourage discrimination and stigmatization on perceive or real HIV/AIDS status, thereby lauded Kuje ACACA for the initiative.
On her part, the programme officer for care and support in the community medicine department of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria in the FCT, Elema Fidelia, stressed that, if tested negative on HIV, people are advised to live negative by avoiding behaviours or action that will put them at risk.
“However, if someone is tested positive, it is not a death sentence. The infected person can still live a normal life, by taking measures to start antiretroviral drugs under the prescription and guidance of a qualified medical practitioner,” she said.