Drugs Preventing Infection By HIV Positive Partner Available In A’Ibom, Says NGO

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… As Mbo LGA Leads In HIV/AIDS Prevalence

By UbongAbasi Ise

Fear of being infected with HIV/AIDS during sexual intercourse by partners who are positive with the virus has been doused as a non-governmental organization discloses available prevention options as well as locations where they could be obtained free of charge in Akwa Ibom State.

During AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) 2020/2021 Fellowship programme held in Uyo yesterday, Ms Josephine Aseme of Greater Women Initiative For Health and Rights, GWIHR, told newsmen that if on daily course of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, PrEP, a HIV negative person could be 100% save when taken before having unprotected sex with a HIV positive partner.  She said PrEP is highly recommendable for persons who are at the risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS from infected partners and other means.


Aseme noted that while daily oral PrEP taken before exposure to virus saves a HIV negative person from being infected, Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, PEP, prevents individual from being infected after having unprotected sexual intercourse with a HIV positive person, saying administration of PEP should be done before expiration of 72 hours at post- exposure stage. 

She recommended that any rape victim should ensure that they access medical services so that they could have access to PEP immediately after the incident, announcing that PrEP could be accessed free of charge at Heartland Alliance offices in Uyo, Oron, Eket, and Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State.

Another preventive measure suggested by Josephine Asema was Dapivinine Ring which she described as life-changing and effective option, saying this intra-vaginal silicone was recommended by the World Health organization, WHO, on January 26, 2021 but is yet to earn approval in Nigeria. She also mentioned Injectable long-acting Cabotegravir, CAB LA, which is said to have more efficacy than oral PrEP, but still undergoing processes for approval.


The health and rights activist advised both government and donor agencies not to only emphasize treatment of the deadly virus but to also focus on investing in prevention options available in order to cut down the number of infected persons. She called on government to invest in media and the entertainment platforms and to also scale up community awareness of available HIV prevention and treatment services as well as the delivery points.

Speaking earlier, Mr. Michael Akanji, a representative of Heartland Alliance LTD/GTE, bemoaned how Akwa Ibom State leads in HIV prevalence in Nigeria with 5.5%, while Mbo local government area records the highest rate of the HIV prevalence in the state.

With the aid of PowerPoint presentation, Akanji brought to the fore that the latest study of key population constituting 1.4% in Nigeria shows that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS amongst sex workers staying in the brothels stands at 19.4%, non-brothel based sex workers has 8.6%; people at the correctional facilities has 2.8%, and men sleeping with men including some of them who might have also be married to women, has the record of 22.9%, noting that this key population still lives in the larger society with chances of infecting more people.


While emphasizing that it is more expensive to treat HIV/AIDS than to prevent, he pointed out that only 14,000 sex workers have been reached through behavioral intervention, stressing that 408,472 persons have not been reached but there are 30,638 that have been tested with vast number of them being unable to get treatment.

Meanwhile, Josephine Aseme had described key population as a potential target that could be engaged by both government and the donor agencies for effective prevention and treatment measures.

 

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