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STOP AIDS! – When Did You Last Check Your HIV Status?
December 1, 2020
This article looks at why it is import to know your HIV status. “Young people (15-24 years) account for 40% of all new adult HIV infections. Each day, more than 2,400 young people become infected with HIV infection – some 5 million young people are living with HIV ” – UNFPA.
Data from UNAIDS for 2017 suggests that Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world.
Estimates suggest that over 3.1 million Nigerians are living with HIV.
About two-thirds of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa occurred in Nigeria.
However – only about 38% of Nigerians are aware of their HIV status.
This means we may not know the exact number of Nigerians living with HIV.
It also suggests that the risk of transmitting HIV in the Nigerian population may be higher than we know.
The good news is that Nigeria recorded a 5% reduction in new HIV infections between 2010 and 2017.
The full meaning of HIV is ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus’.
When the virus (HIV) enters the human body, it multiplies in the white blood cells (WBC).
The WBC usually helps the human body fight infections.
They are important to your immune system.
By infecting and multiplying in your WBCs, HIV infection attacks the cells that are supposed to protect you.
As a result, your immune system over a period of time gets weaker and weaker.
However, how long it takes to significantly weaken and destroy the immune system depends on your health status.
AIDS (which means Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), is the result of HIV infection progressing to a point where the body’s immune system becomes weakened and destroyed.
Now, this can happen slowly in many people, taking on the average up of 10 years to advance into AIDS if the HIV infection is not treated.
At this point, the body is unable to fight off infections and diseases, which can be life-threatening. This can happen in either of two situations:
So, the first step is to be aware of your HIV status by taking the HIV test and getting the right counselling.
Secondly, you need to start receiving appropriate treatment immediately if you test positive to HIV.
Early treatment of HIV infection would stop the infection from progressing to AIDS.
While every one of us has a fear of the unknown, and the stigma (discrimination) against people living with HIV, this should not discourage you from knowing your HIV status.
This is because a positive HIV test does not mean that you have AIDS.
It only means that you have the HIV infection.
It is not a death sentence.
People with HIV infection can enjoy a long and healthy life if they receive appropriate treatment.
We call the medications we currently use in treating HIV infection Antiretroviral drugs and – they are very effective.
If you are HIV positive, antiretroviral therapy helps to keep you in stable health and reduces the amount of the virus (viral load) in the body.
Over time, the virus numbers become “undetectable” in your blood as long as you are receiving the appropriate treatment.
Another therefore, another benefit is that the lower viral loads reduce the risk of HIV transmission.
And it means that somebody who is HIV positive (and receiving appropriate treatment) cannot transmit or infect their partner or contact.
Studies such as the PARTNER study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on the 12th of July, 2016 have proven this fact:
Undetectable equals Untransmittable.
To summarise, these are the 8-points we need to know about HIV and AIDS:
Are you still unsure about checking your HIV status today? Talk to us here; or call UNFPA on Glo: 07058890112, Airtel: 07080601771.
For more information, you can visit:
Editing by AskAwayHealth Team
Disclaimer
All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising Medical Practitioners on a wide range of health care conditions to provide evidence based guidance and to help promote quality health care. The advice in our material is not meant to replace management of your specific condition by a qualified health care practitioner.
To discuss your condition, please contact a health practitioner or reach us directly through info@askawayhealth.org
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