Health
Where Are The 3.5m Nigerians Infected With HIV/AIDS?
By Dimos Sakellaridis
The intention of the title is not to scare or stigmatize any reader but to generate an intelligent discussion about the scourge of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
In a country of 189 million people, 3.5 million may seem like an insignificant number. However, I know of some countries with population less than 3.5 million people and I cannot imagine what the future of such a country would look like if all their citizens were infected with HIV/AIDS.
The picture of such an imagination would be a monumental tragedy of devastating proportions! Horrendous statistics in Nigeria pegs the HIV/AIDS infected population at 3.5 million and either way you look at it, it is no mean figure.
HIV is spread when blood, semen, or vaginal fluids from an infected person enter another person’s body, usually through sexual contact, from sharing needles when injecting drugs, or from mother to baby during birth.
Many reasons have been adduced for the increasing scourge. One of the top reasons is poor needle and condom use.
In the current harrowing economy, sexual pleasure will be a top recreational activity and that possibly means increased unprotected sex for individuals seeking short term pleasure to long-term economic struggles.
If such a large number of Nigerians are infected with HIV/AIDS according to National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), then a larger population of Nigerians must be interacting with them one way or the other.
Some of the 3.5 million may be married to someone or be related to another as son, daughter, cousin, in-law, brother, sister, niece, nephew, aunt or uncle. The infected ones may be relating to other people as friends, neighbours, customers, clients or colleagues. One way or the other, we are all connected to them.
Some others tragically may be relating to these infected ones as sèxual partners. When you look at 3.5 million holistically, then you realize that it is not a strange distant figure in another city or territory.
It is very close to home and that is scary! If these infected people are Nigerians, then other Nigerians are connected to them one way or the other. So, when experts advise individuals to stay safe especially in sexual relationships, sharp people are smart to listen and adhere.
In retrospection, I am positive that if any of these individuals were infected through unprotected intercourse, they would wish they had done something differently. By something, I mean use a condom every time they had sèx.
So many people find condom use boring. Others believe that condom use gets in the way of full sèxual pleasure or excitement. I understand their reservations especially if they have never heard of the Fiesta Premium condoms available in 12 different variants of colours, textures, shapes, flavours, thickness and sizes, so that individuals can enjoy a different, exciting and pleasurable experience every time they have sèx.
Fiesta condoms puts the ‘F’ in Fun and is backed by DKT Nigeria’s symbols of excellence; ‘Effective, Safe, Affordable and Quality’ (ESAQ).
Fiesta premium Condoms are great choice because they can prevent both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), so whenever you use Fiesta condoms, you get double protection combined with pleasure every time.
I have heard of so many reasons behind people not using condoms. Top on the list is condoms reduce pleasure. I believe this reason is given because they don’t know about Fiesta Ultra-Thin brand that is as close to skin as you get without that “rubber” taste that can be a real turn off.
When another person says using condom is boring, it is because they have not used the Fiesta dotted condom with more than 500 pleasure dots on the surface to increase stimulation for both partners or the Fiesta ribbed condom with more than 50 pleasure rings to increase stimulation for both partners.
A favourite with Nigerian men is the Fiesta Original Black (a.k.a. Baba dudu) condoms which are gently lubricated, black condoms to increase pleasure for you and your partner and give you a real ‘Black man’s condom experience’.
There is even a Fiesta Glow condoms popularly called ochu uzo (Pathfinder) because it is luminous and glows in the dark even defying power failure to find its target.
Sèx does not have to be risky and dangerous especially where there is the grave potential that one’s sèxual partner may already be infected with HIV/AIDS. Condom use must be encouraged.
Fiesta Premium condoms distributed nationwide by DKT Nigeria have twelve exciting variants including stimulating variants enhanced with chocolates, strawberries and Prolong for extended phantasmagoric levels of pleasure.
The number of ladies engaged in commercial sex workers may increase because the challenging economy could push many promising young girls into the tackiness of prostitution.
Many of them would choose the horrendous career path unaware of the tragedies that are embedded within especially the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and death! It is very unfortunate. But that is the plain truth.
Women and young girls suffering under the agony of poverty may soon choose the ‘easy’ way out through prostitution and they may not know that they can even protect themselves although in very unpalatable profession.
These women or girls are related to people. They have families and friends who may not be aware that they are related to a person within the enemy lines of infection with HIV/AIDS.
This is a tragedy especially when you imagine the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. This is not to stigmatize the PLWHA but any population of people living with HIV/AIDS should be treated with the utmost importance especially as the global community celebrates World AIDS Day on December 1st, 2016.
I am positive that engaging in positive sèxual behaviours including the use of condoms to prevent STDs will greatly reduce the increasing scourge of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
If awareness can be created to alter behavior change, I am positive that the scourge of HIV/AIDS can be stemmed on several fronts especially the youths who are the major victims of the scourge.
Dimos Sakellaridis is the Country Director of DKT International Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The sum of $250,000 in humanitarian funding is to be provided by Binance to support the frontline response to the ongoing Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The cryptocurrency exchange said the funds would be used to enable rapid response in high-risk and underserved areas, where access to healthcare infrastructure, protective resources, and timely public health information remains limited.
The money will be shared equally between the Uganda Red Cross Society and Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), supporting urgent interventions in affected and high-risk communities.
Binance’s contribution will help strengthen emergency medical care and treatment, community awareness and prevention campaigns, contact tracing and containment support, and the provision of sanitation supplies and protective equipment for frontline workers.
By supporting both immediate response activities and preventative education, Binance aims to contribute to reducing transmission and strengthening community resilience.
“Communities across Africa continue to show extraordinary resilience in the face of complex challenges, but frontline responders should not have to face crises like this alone,” the co-chief executive of Binance, Mr Richard Teng, said.
“The teams working to contain the Ebola disease outbreak are delivering vital, life-saving support under incredibly difficult conditions.
“We are proud to support both the Uganda Red Cross Society and Doctors Without Borders as they work to protect vulnerable populations, strengthen local response efforts, and deliver urgent care where it is needed most,” he added.
Also commenting, the Secretary General for the Uganda Red Cross Society, Mr Robert Kwesiga, said, “Strong partnerships are essential during public health emergencies since we are not able to manage the outbreak alone.
“The support from Binance comes in so timely and handy, and will help us respond more rapidly, reach more at-risk communities, and reinforce the frontline services needed to help contain the outbreak and save lives.”
The MSF Emergency Programme Manager, Trish Newport, while speaking on the initiative, said, “The number of cases and deaths we are seeing in such a short timeframe, combined with the spread across several health zones and now across the border, is extremely concerning. In Ituri, many people already struggle to access healthcare and live with ongoing insecurity, making rapid action critical to prevent the outbreak from escalating further.”
Caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, this Ebola disease outbreak has placed acute pressure on already fragile health systems in eastern DRC and the wider region.
Local authorities, international agencies, and humanitarian organisations are racing to contain it and protect affected communities.
Binance’s support is intended to reinforce these efforts at a critical moment. It reflects the company’s broader commitment to supporting communities across Africa through programmes focused on education, financial inclusion, digital skills development, and community empowerment.
In this case, Binance is extending that commitment to urgent humanitarian and public health needs by working alongside trusted organisations with deep frontline expertise.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and ordered the immediate release of N10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
According to a disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the fund will strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical national public health emergency response activities.
The team will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and state representatives.
The presidency noted that the approval followed a stakeholder meeting convened under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to review Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies against the possible importation of Ebola into the country.
Ebola has recently resurfaced in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, both neighbouring countries.
Other key stakeholders at the meeting included representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Lagos State Government and others.
Mr Onanuga also disclosed that President Tinubu directed all states hosting international airports and international border corridors, as well as relevant MDAs, to submit their plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for consideration and coordinated implementation.
Additional measures to be implemented by the Task Force include the intensification of passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols; enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines; and the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with other airports to follow.
Other measures include the mandatory activation of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the disinfection of departure halls, cargoes, baggage areas and airport facilities as precautionary environmental measures.
The President also directed the advisory group to consult with security, diplomatic and aviation bodies on regulating flights from affected and designated high-risk countries.
The Task Force was further mandated to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to enable controlled screening and isolation procedures, and to consider adjusting flight schedules to minimise interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Over 500 residents of Ajegunle in Lagos enjoyed free healthcare services, comprehensive health education, youth mentorship, and community engagement activities at a one-day event organised by Queens Palm Support Initiative (QPSI).
This is part of the organisation’s Reach 1000 Initiative, deliberately designed to address immediate healthcare needs and empower individuals with the knowledge, resources, and support required to live healthier, more productive, and dignified lives.
QPSI is a non-profit organisation established by Ms Sabrina Ozma dedicated to advancing community development, healthcare advocacy, youth empowerment, leadership education, and social impact interventions across Nigeria. Fou
At the Ajegunle programme held at Bola Ige Millennium School, Tolu Complex, participants received a comprehensive range of healthcare services facilitated by accredited medical professionals, including general medical consultations and health assessments, malaria screening, diagnosis and treatment, blood sugar testing and diabetes awareness, comprehensive eye examinations and vision assessments, as well as specialist neurosurgical consultations provided by medical experts from Dukes Neurosurgery and Specialist Hospital.
Also, Reals Pharmaceutical Limited provided and distributed antimalarial medications to beneficiaries, ensuring continuity of treatment and improved health outcomes beyond the day of the outreach.
Ms Ozma, while speaking at the event, said access to quality healthcare remains one of the most pressing challenges confronting underserved communities across Nigeria.
According to her, interventions such as the Reach 1000 Initiative are deliberately designed to close this gap, not only by addressing immediate healthcare needs but by empowering individuals with the knowledge, resources, and support required to live healthier, more productive, and dignified lives.
Beyond healthcare delivery, the initiative featured structured health education and awareness sessions focused on disease prevention and early symptom recognition, personal hygiene and sanitation best practices, nutrition and food safety, healthy lifestyle habits, and the importance of routine medical check-ups.
In addition, a media personality and youth advocate, Ms Blessing Lopez, led engaging conversations around personal growth, confidence, and purpose-driven living, while entertainer Larry J inspired participants through discussions on resilience, positive decision-making, and the importance of becoming active contributors to societal progress.
The programme also attracted notable participation from government institutions and civil society organisations, highlighting the importance of multi-sector collaboration in addressing community challenges.
The Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, engaged participants on safeguarding, protection against domestic and sexual violence, and the importance of building safer communities.
Further, representatives of the Cleen Foundation facilitated discussions on crime prevention, community security, and the role of young people in promoting civic responsibility and the rule of law, while the Crime Prevention Partnership (CPP) led discussions on community-led safety strategies and citizen participation in fostering safer neighbourhoods.
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