| From: |
Gabriel ADEYEMO [ profile ] |
| Subject: |
Nigeria: HIV and season of love
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| Sent: |
Feb 17th, 2012 - 05:12:20 |
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Author: Sola-ade Ayo-Aderele
Source: Punch Nigeria
Link: http://www.punchng.com/health/hiv-and-season-of-love/
Fellow Advocate!
While the scientific community has continued to investigate the possibility
of discovering and developing a safe, effective, feasible, and scalable
cure for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, it has also warned that the best
cure against the infection is prevention.
The Treatment Action Group, an independent AIDS research and policy think
tank fighting for better treatment, a vaccine, and a cure for AIDS, noted
that among the signs of progress, researchers have contributed new insights
into where and why HIV persists in the body, even when powerful
antiretroviral therapy has all but shut it down.
Consequently, interested global bodies like the World Health Organisation
and The Global Fund are now funding cure-related researches.
However, now that a cure for HIV has been proved to be possible, the
challenge is to also raise an HIV-free generation, to make for an
infection-free world. That is the position of the Director-General of the
National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Prof. John Idoko.
In his Vals Day message, Idoko encourages Nigerians both in the city and
in the rural areas to avoid engaging in risky behaviours, especially this
season of Valentine celebrations.
The agency will like to use this season of love to inform Nigerians to
share and show love responsibly; by doing this, we can halt and reverse the
spread of HIV in Nigeria, said Idoko, a Professor of Medicine and Head of
Infectious Diseases Programme, and Director of the AIDS Prevention
Initiative in Nigeria Programme at the University of Jos.
As of December 2010, Nigeria reportedly makes up nine per cent of the
global HIV burden, with the rural areas accounting for higher HIV/AIDS
prevalence than the urban areas.
More stories available on the link above. Thanks for reading through
--
Many Thanks
Yours' in Prevention Science
Gabriel, ADEYEMO
Regional Focal Point - West Africa
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AID (GYCA), a program of the Public Health
Institute
+234-80-6798-7317 | gabriel (at) gyca.org
www.gyca.org | www.phi.org
GYCA is a youth-led global network of over 6,500 young leaders and adult
allies working on youth and HIV/AIDS in 173 countries world-wide. GYCA's
mission is to empower young leaders with the skills, knowledge, resources
and opportunities they need to scale up HIV/AIDS interventions amongst
their peers.
*My United Nations Pledge 2011-2012: "To lend my wit and my strength to the
AIDS Response guiding global youth towards one goal: Zero HIV: Zero AIDS
Related Deaths, Zero New Infections, Zero Stigma"*
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