Nigerian HIV
experts revealed this at a scientific symposium to mark this year's
World AIDS Day, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research,
NIMR, in collaboration with Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Lagos
branch.
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."
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 that effective
available for the diagnosis and clinical management, the AIDS epidemic
still claims an estimated two million lives each year, of which about
270, 000 are children.
"The multi - year
theme since 2012 has been "getting to zero with the three main
sub-themes of zero new infections, zero deaths from AIDs - related
illnesses and zero discrimination.
Ujah who lauded the
UNAIDS 90 - 90 -90 initiative said it was designed to have 90 percent
of all people diagnosed with HIV infection receive sustained ARV therapy
and 90- percent of all people receiving ARV will have viral
suppression.
"With 90 percent of
those on treatment having viral suppression, there will be a drastic
break of transmission of new infection and end the HIV/AIDS pandemic by
2030."
He said NIMR will
be conducting an outreach in Alimosho Local Government area of Lagos
state to increase awareness on HIV/AIDS as well as enhance HIV
counselling and testing.
Also in her
presentation, on how to prevent new infection, Dr. Oladipo Fisher, from
Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, LASACA, said early initiation of HIV
positive people into antiretroviral drugs will decrease rate of new
infection, as well as reduce HIV-related illnesses and deaths.
In the same vein,
Consultant Haematologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH,
Prof. Sulaimon Akanmu, noted that people who test positive to HIV can
possibly eliminate the virus if they commence treatment immediately they
are diagnosed. "This will help bring their viral load to an
undetectable level, where they will likely not infect other people, and
is in line with the World Health Organization, WHO's new treatment
guideline for HIV/AIDS."
source: vanguard