Nigeria: HIV - Stakeholders Want Prevention to Take Centre Stage

via VANGUARD, by Chinyere Amalu

"If we don't have correct information to prevent the spread of the virus, there is no way the nation could move forward in tackling the scourge. If we do not do something urgent about taking messages of prevention to the rural communities, we are wasting our time", -Prof. John Idoko

The 4-day conference, which was organized by Network for HIV & AIDS Research in Nigeria (NARN) in partnership with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), with support from the United Nations system, the US Government, other developmental partners and civil society organisations believed that if prevention is prioritised, the spread of HIV would be controlled to the barest minimum.

According to Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, "Cultural practices have a fundamental role to play in HIV prevention, Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and male involvement in reproductive health services. A number of commonly observed traditional practices are now recognized as being directly responsible for the spread of HIV & AIDS".

 

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