LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – As the world commemorates the World AIDS Day, celebrated annually on 1 December, there have been calls for more awareness on tools that can aid the prevention of Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV).
These calls were made by the New HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Advocacy Society (NHVMAS), a public health advocacy group which is championing the awareness about new prevention tools against the spread of the deadly virus.
Many Nigerians are aware of the scourge of HIV/AIDS and have a wrong perception that it is a death sentence, but the awareness about how its spread can be prevented has melted down for a while, hence the campaign by the NHVMAS.
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During a three-day training for journalists on the understanding and reporting of new prevention tools, the organization informed that HIV is still prevalent in Nigeria, despite the reduced awareness about its consistent spread.
Some of the tools available for use by Nigerians include PreP, male and female condoms, ARV, among others, however, the tool the advocacy group is campaigning strongly for use in Nigeria is the Dapivirine Vaginal ring (DPV-VR).
Executive Director of the NHVMAS, Florita Durueke, emphasized that the DPV-VR is an essential tool women should be allowed to use in Nigeria as it had yet to be approved for using in the country.
The dapivirine ring is a flexible vaginal ring made of silicone that slowly releases an antiretroviral medication (ARV) called dapivirine over the course of one month to reduce the risk of HIV infection.
The ring was first developed by the non-profit International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM), and is currently in use in a number of countries across the world already.
According to the NHVMAS lead, young female adolescents are mostly encouraged to make use of this ring as it guarantees dual protection since recent reports have it that a lot of adolescents engage in unprotected sexual activities.
“We are currently looking at a way where we can have the Dapivirine ring approved for use in Nigeria, as other countries like Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana have already approved its use.
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“One of the reasons we are consistently asking for this DPV-VR among young women and adolescents is the rising prevalence of HIV among them,” Durueke explained.
While advising Journalists on how to get the word out there about what the NHVMAS does, Chidiebere Obi, another member of the organization, said that they should: “create more intensified awareness on new prevention tools by churning out publications, do stories around these topics, consistent content creation.
“Advocacy to policy makers to make available options, arrays of HIV prevention tools with your different media platforms. Advocate for it’s affordability and accessibility.”