The Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDs, NIBUCAA, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, ILO, have introduced HIV Self – Testing Kits for workers within the private sector
This is to ensure more people are aware of their HIV status with a view to reducing the spread of the virus to the bearest.
The Senior Programme and Evaluation Officer, NIBUCAA, a non governmental Organisation, Miss Damilola Araoye made this known at a Capacity Building workshop with the theme ” HIV Self – Testing in the Workplace ” in Lagos.
Miss Araoye who noted that the advent of COVID – 19 overshadowed other diseases including HIV explained that the virus should not be neglected because of the devastating effects it has on the society.
She urged members of the public especially the private sector to which over Two thousand kits have been distributed to make use of the Test Kits and go for a follow up at the hospital when tested positive.
Miss Araoye urged members of the public to disregard myths and misconceptions attached to the Test Kit.
According to her ,” the organisation understands that human beings are the society and it is very important that the workforce stays healthy “
The Head, Communication and External Affairs, of the organisation, Miss Mojola Aturamu, who did not underate the importance of Counselling as it concerns HIV / AIDs said NIBUCAA was ready to assist whoever found it difficult to carryout the Self Test by way of Counselling.
” According to the NAIIS report (2019), there are about 1.9 million people Living with HIV in Nigeria and thousands of these people are still not aware of their status “.
A Media Consultant, Mrs Anu Adelakun, urged journalists to sustain the impact of HIV response by always putting it on the front burner.
Mrs Adelakun explained that government and development partners have recorded a lot of successes and should be projected
Her words ” The new trend is positive journalism, adding that, stories should not always be negative.
She advised journalists to invest in Investigative journalism as it helps in driving the story in “.
The workshop was attended by Editors from the Print, Electronic and the New Media.
