OVER 23,000 PEOPLE IN WESTERN REGION HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH HIV – AIDS Commission Reveals

“This is a major concern for the Commission and its partners, because it means out of every 100 people in the region, about two of them are living with HIV,” he said.

Mr. Yakubu warned the public not to participate in activities that raise their risk of catching the virus and voiced concern about the rising trend of HIV infections. He underlined how crucial it is to take precautions in order to stop the HIV virus from spreading.

Mr. Yakubu encouraged people to take advantage of self-testing programs and voluntarily be tested for HIV in order to promote proactive health practices and public knowledge of the disease.

Acquiring timely knowledge of one’s status facilitates immediate action and facilitates access to essential medical treatments, which in turn promotes efficient HIV management and prevention.

He said, “It is important to test to know our HIV status and that of our partners and if your test is positive, you ought to visit a health facility to start treatment immediately because taking medication consistently reduces the amount of virus in one’s body, promotes good health and prolongs their lifespan.”

In addition, Mr. Yakubu asked people to avoid stigmatizing those who are infected with the virus, stressing that stigma associated with HIV prevents voluntary testing, treatment, care, and support for those who are impacted.