Abuja – The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) has advised Nigerian students to abstain from sexual activities to enable them to achieve their dreams in life.
A statement issued by the institute’s Communication Manager, Mr Dennis Mordi, in Abuja on Wednesday said that Mrs Edwina Mang, Program Manager, Maternal, Neonatal Child Health (MNCH), IHVN, gave the advice when some students visited the institute.
The statement said that the students were from Divine Mercy Secondary School, Asokoro, Abuja, adding that Mang discussed issues of HIV, Tuberculosis, malaria, adolescence and reproductive health with the children.
She told the students that sexual activities could attract infections to them and advised them not to discriminate against People Living with HIV/AIDS.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
“We want everyone to know their status; once HIV counselling and testing happens, we are able to identify those that are positive and there are centres in Nigeria where HIV treatment can be accessed,” she said.
During the interaction, one of the children, Esosa Uwabor, an SS3 student and President of the school’s Anti-HIV/AIDS club, pointed out that the session had made her more confident to speak about the scourge.
“Having participated in this session, I can now confidently speak about HIV/AIDs instead of repeating what people have already heard before.
“I have now learnt new things about HIV, TB and Ebola; I have received a lot more information about HIV/AIDS today than I have done in other places where I have been to,” Uwabor said.
Another student, Christopher Aghobo, said “I had little or no knowledge about hepatitis but during the session, I was helped to know more about not only HIV, but hepatitis’’. (NAN)