About 30 per cent of port users who are screened for HIV/AIDS quarterly always test positive, so says the Chairperson HIV/AIDS Nigerian Ports Authority; Dr. Mrs Comfort Datong.
Dr. Datong gave this figure yesterday at the venue of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) week-long sensitization and awareness campaign for port users including, truck drivers, customs officers, police officers, clearing agents, and others operating at the nation's seaport.
She however said that there has been positive response to the programme from port users since it started
About 30 per cent of port users who are screened for HIV/AIDS quarterly always test positive, so says the Chairperson HIV/AIDS Nigerian Ports Authority; Dr. Mrs Comfort Datong.
Dr. Datong gave this figure yesterday at the venue of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) week-long sensitization and awareness campaign for port users including, truck drivers, customs officers, police officers, clearing agents, and others operating at the nation's seaport.
She however said that there has been positive response to the programme from port users since it started
Apart from free tests conducted for the port users, free condoms were equally distributed and lectures given on how to stay safe.
She explained that the programme is a World Bank-assisted project that is implemented at Nigerian ports every quarter of each year. This is the third quarter for 2015.
The campaign according to her started by testing 500 persons and has now upgraded to 1,500 because of the positive response.
Dr. Datong also said that from the number of people tested, there has been a sharp decrease in the number of people testing positive to HIV/AIDS.
"It is the third time we are doing it this year, each time we come out, we record 30 positive cases. We send them to the various referral centres across Lagos"
"The number of positive cases has reduced, at first we had 30% of the total number of people tested, but now we have about 12% of the total number tested so far", she said.
According to her, a lot of port users are now eager to know their status and doing this is a major way of prevention. She said that it is only people that live in denial that allows the HIV to deteriorate into fully blown AIDS.
"We attend to our officers and staff, sensitizing them on the different methods of prevention for HIV/AIDS and that it is no longer a ticket to death, we have many of our officers and staff at the NPA living positively with HIV and living healthy lives"
"This outreach is actually for truck drivers and the food vendors and the truck boys, it is a World Bank assisted project in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority"
"We want to thank the MD and the executive directors for giving us the full support" she said
Also speaking at the venue of the campaign, a port user, Mr. Ikechukwu Theophilous described the sensitization as a great effort from the NPA.
"It is actually a very nice effort by the NPA, a lot of people do not know that life is wealth, most times you just have to check your status, in everything we do, and life is the most important"
"I do my test almost every two months, using public material with people means you should be aware of your health status" he said.
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