Adebobola Bashorun, the National Coordinator, National HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STI Control Programme, Ministry of Health, has said HIV/AIDS has reduced to an endemic stage in Nigeria.
According to him, the reduction happened because the spread of the disease as well as the stigmatization of those who tested positive for the disease had been contained.
Also, he explained that the availability of drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS has contributed to a decrease in the prevalent rate of the disease in the country.
Bashorun spoke recently during a recent press briefing to announce the three-day National Training of Trainers on WHO-approved Standard Q HIV 1& 2 Rapid Test Kit in Nigeria
He said: “We have three classifications of a disease outcome or disease events. We have what we call endemic, like Malaria, it is living with us. We have an epidemic which means it has gone beyond the expected rate for that period. Then pandemic which is global.
“When HIV started, it was an epidemic in a few places. They just started seeing cases that they’ve never seen, later it became a pandemic. It was everywhere in the world. At this stage that we are, it is endemic. This is because we’ve been able to control the spread, we’ve been able to control the stigma, how people see it as something dangerous because now we have treatments for cure. Treatment means you have a treatment that can maintain it. ”
He urged Nigerians to conduct regular tests to know their HIV/AIDS status and added that there are treatments available to contain the disease.
He said: “There is treatment now. So, people should come out to know their HIV status at the same time.”
