Experts Claim 2.9m HIV Positive Nigerians Are in Hiding & Avoiding Treatment
At a symposium organised by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, in collaboration with Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Lagos branch to mark the World AIDS Day, celebrated yearly on December 1, Nigerian HIV experts revealed an estimated 2.9 million people living with HIV/AIDS out of the 3.4 million Nigerians diagnosed last year are not receiving the needed treatment to suppress the infection.
Those affected, most currently hiding, are not only at risk of death from HIV related illnesses, but are also infecting new people, causing a surge of the disease.
Vanguard reports in her submission, representative of the Population Council Abuja, Dr. Sylvia Adebajo noted that only 500,000 people are currently on treatment, while the 2.9 million largely men, serve as reservoir for the spread of HIV.
“Men do not go to hospital as much as women so they are the most difficult to reach. Those at higher risks include; women, homosexuals, men who engage with drugs and those who have sex with female sex workers,” she said.
Adebajo said the attitude of testing people and letting them go without follow up needs to be stopped, and more people, particularly men needs to be reached with treatment.
Director-General of NIMR, Prof Innocent Ujah regretted that despite the availability of effective structures for diagnosis and clinical management, the AIDS epidemic still claims an estimated two million lives each year, of which about 270, 000 are children.
Oh what a sad news!
No stigma they should come out for treatment
This is risky oooooo. God save us all cos with this No living amongst us, its dengerous!
Hmmmmmm this is serious oh.
God save us oh
It’s a very bad thing to avoid treatment knowing the implication… God see us through
Some doesn’t even know their status and they doing self medication, treating fever each time they’re ill. Awareness is what they need.
Most people with HIV live in denial and carry on with their lives till they are down with full blown AIDS
God see us through..singles zip up or use condom, married stay faithful that’s the only way to escape.
Its quit alarming
This is really serious
This is not good oo
This is alarming
Hmmmmm, they Just have to summon courage in order to get a proper treatments
Lord have mercy
But they should come out and get help now.
pls fish them out ooo
hmmmmmmm na wa ooo