As Nigeria joins other nations to mark the World AIDS Day, a Consultant Hematologist, Dr. Adedoyin Dosunmu, has warned of the need to sustain awareness of the disease to avoid increase of the epidemic.
Speaking exclusively to The Next Edition, Dr. Dosunmu of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos, said AIDS cannot be wished away, therefore,not talking about it will not make it go away.
Commenting on the fact that AIDS and related issues seem to have been relegated to the background, Dr. Dosunmu said, “I think the nation has been overwhelmed by other issues and people feel HIV is no loner an issue, but that is not true. We need to sustain awareness of the risk involved because youngest people are growing up and if we don’t sustain the awareness, the epidemic will increase.
” It is here to stay, it is already a pandemic and we cannot just wish it away. We have to live with it, therefore, we have to sustain the awareness, we have to take care of those who already have to reduce the possibility of spreading it,” he said.
According to him, AIDS remains a serious health issues as it ranks among the top 10 causes of death in the country.
Dr. Dosunmu disclosed that more females are living with AIDS than males attributing it to the fact that females are more receptive than men and also take better care of their health.
His words, “ironically, females present more with HIV/AIDS probably because they are more receptive, they are more at risk because they receive the semen of the man, they are more likely to have injuries during sexual activities; they are more at risk than men.”
He also told The Next Edition that health workers, hair dressers and people in that line of trade are also presenting more with HIV/AIDS.
December 1 every year is World AIDS Day and the theme for this year is “My Health, my right.”
Globally, it is estimated that about 36.7 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, while about 34 million people are said to have died from the disease since it was discovered in 1994.
The Next Edition TREASURE HUNT!
FOR MTN USERS: 2045792118663330
Use comment box if you are lucky winner
