Posted by From Chuka Odittah in Abuja on
Chairman, National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), Professor Babat-unde Osotimehin, has expressed concern over increasing non-chalant attitude of a large population of Nigerians to HIV/AIDS, saying only about twoper cent Nigerians agree to being under risk of infection.
Chairman, National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), Professor Babat-unde Osotimehin, has expressed concern over increasing non-chalant attitude of a large population of Nigerians to HIV/AIDS, saying only about twoper cent Nigerians agree to being under risk of infection.
Osotimehin said the assumption by certain categories of people that HIV/AIDS is imaginary or a preserve of a specific group of persons is counter-productive to fight against the disease.
Osotimehin said this in Abuja, at the weekend, when a delegation of the Leadership Development Centre, led by its Director General, Chief Perry Peters, paid him a courtesy visit to present him with an award of excellence in the campaign against HIV/AIDS.
He said information is central to the campaign against AIDS, adding that care should be taken not to fall for some of the rumours constantly peddled about the disease.
Some of these, he said, include the assumption that the disease can be contacted through handshakes or through prostitutes only among others.
He expressed worry that only about two per cent of the populace agree to the risk of infection and take necessary steps to stem it.
He said persons who engage in sex with multiple partners are naturally more exposed to the infection, than those who abstain.
According to Osotimehin, abstinence and keeping to one sexual partner, are among the safest means of combating the spread of the disease, but warned that where these are not practicable, the use of condom must be ensured.
He said polio vaccines, which are administered to prevent outbreak of polio disease have 75 per cent chances of efficacy, and wondered why many Nigerians are still averse to the use of condoms, which has more than 90 per cent efficacy in preventing further spread of AIDS.