HIV: RIVERS TOPS LIST, BAYELSA NOW ON 13TH

- What is HIV and how does one gets it?
- How to Prevent Hiv

YENAGOA: HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and reports has showed that about 3.4m Nigerians are living with the virus.

From research of the National agency for control of Aids (NACA), Rivers State has recently been revealed to have the prevalence of Hiv/AIDS with about 15.2%, while kaduna and Taraba follows behind.

According to information, Benue had over the years been rated highest in HIV and AIDS prevalence, but recent results shows that their journey to achieving zero cases is not far off success. Bayelsa on the other hand was rated third during the time but due to government and NGOs intervention, Bayelsa has dropped to 13th, a remarkable achievement.

Also, A United State based non-governmental organization known as PACT on July 13th declared that out of the 50,000 pregnant women tested in Bayelsa State for the Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS, 700 pregnant women were placed on antiretroviral prophylaxis and 300 HIV infants exposed.

Mr. Trevor Maisiri, the Nigeria’s Director of Pact, who made this known during the launch of the second phase of the community, based Prevention of Mother to child Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PROMOT 11) project, said the first phase which lasted four years, he said 294,000 were reached with HIV messages, over 50, 000 pregnant women tested for HIV and received their results, while almost 691 pregnant women placed on antiretroviral prophylaxis.

He also disclosed that over 700 people has so far been trained on the latest Prevention of Mothers to Child Transmission (PMTCT) tactics and techniques, while 300 HIV exposed infants were tested for HIV at six weeks.

According to Maisiri, the PACT as an organization has been working with the Bayelsa state government with funding from Chevron to increase community awareness of the dreaded disease.

Maisiri said with 1.4 million dollars funding from Chevron, the PROMOT 11 projects is expected to test over 2, 000 pregnant women from three local government areas in Bayelsa state for HIV and at the same time building the capacity of community structures of governance to achieve healthcare performance.

He said by using Pact’s integrated approach of capacity development and support/strengthening of government systems, they were able to set a sustainable, community based program that will continue to build PROMOT services beyond the life span of the project.

Maisiri also stated that, “In the first phase which lasted four years, he said 294,000 were reached with HIV messages, over 50, 000 pregnant women tested for HIV and received their results, while almost 691 pregnant women placed on antiretroviral prophylaxis.”

He a disclosed that over 700 people has so far been trained on the latest Prevention of Mothers to Child Transmission (PMTCT) approaches and techniques, 300 HIV exposed infants were tested for HIV at six weeks.

“In order to consolidate on the feats of PROMOT and in furtherance of its corporate responsibility and value for partnership, Chevron has again provided funds for Pact to implement a second phase of the project, tagged PROMOT 11.This project will run for two years until April 2018”; he emphasized.

From the most recent data of National Agency for the control of Aids NACA for the National Aids Reproductive Health Survey, came up with the list of the top 10 states with the highest hiv prevalence in Nigeria
So sit back and be aware . . .
This ranking came as a result of test done on Nigerians that are hiv/aids positive
No. 10, Ondo State with 4.3%
No. 9, Cross River State with 4.4%
No. 8, Yobe State with 5.3%
No. 7, Both Oyo State and Sokoto State with 5.6%
No. 6, Akwa Ibom State with 6.4%
No. 5, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with 7.5%
No. 4, Nasarawa State with 8.1%
No. 3, Kaduna State with 9.2%
No. 2, Taraba State with 10.5%
No. 1, Rivers State with 15.2%

for the list of the remaining state according to hiv prevalence in Nigeria { AIDS }

Gombe – 3.4%, Abia – 3.3%, Bayelsa – 2.7%, Osun – 2.6%, Imo – 2.5%, Borno – 2.4%, Plateau – 2.3%, Lagos – 2.2%, Jigawa – 2.1%, Adamawa – 1.9%, Kwara – 1.4%, Kogi – 1.4%, Kano – 1.3%, Enugu – 1.3%, Niger – 1.2%, Anambra – 1.2%, Ebonyi – 0.9%, Kebbi – 0.8%, Edo – 0.8%, Delta – 0.7%, Ogun – 0.6%, Bauchi – 0.6%, Zamfara – 0.4%, Ekiti – 0.2%

The preceding question is prevention and how to control hiv/aids in Nigeria in other to reduce the rate in each Nigerian States. We hope proper measures are put in place to curb increase and the provision of proper health care support for those that are currently infected without living out continous awareness of the public on HIV / AIDS education.

WHAT IS HIV?

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

Unlike some other viruses, the human body can’t get rid of HIV completely. So once you have HIV, you have it for life.
HIV attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the CD4 cells (T cells), which help the immune system fight off infections. If left untreated, HIV reduces the number of CD4 cells (T cells) in the body, making the person more likely to get infections or infection-related cancers. Over time, HIV can destroy so many of these cells that the body can’t fight off infections and disease. These opportunistic infections or cancers take advantage of a very weak immune system and signal that the person has AIDS, the last state of HIV infection.

No effective cure for HIV currently exists, but with proper treatment and medical care, HIV can be controlled. The medicine used to treat HIV is called antiretroviral therapy or ART. If taken the right way, every day, this medicine can dramatically prolong the lives of many people with HIV, keep them healthy, and greatly lower their chance of transmitting the virus to others.  Today, a person who is diagnosed with HIV, treated before the disease is far advanced, and stays on treatment can live a nearly as long as someone who does not have HIV.

The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. Testing is relatively simple. You can ask your health care provider for an HIV test. Many medical clinics, substance abuse programs, community health centers, and hospitals offer them too. You can also buy a home testing kit at a pharmacy or online.

EARLY STAGE OF HIV

Some people may experience a flu-like illness within 2-4 weeks after HIV infection. But some people may not feel sick during this stage.

Flu-like symptoms can include:
Fever
Chills
Rash
Night sweats
Muscle aches
Sore throat
Fatigue
Swollen lymph nodes
Mouth ulcers

These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. During this time, HIV infection may not show up on an HIV test, but people who have it are highly infectious and can spread the infection to others.

CLINICAL LATENCY STAGE OF HIV

After the early stage of HIV infection, the disease moves into a stage called the clinical latency stage (also called “chronic HIV infection”). During this stage, HIV is still active but reproduces at very low levels. People with chronic HIV infection may not have any HIV-related symptoms, or only mild ones.

For people who aren’t taking medicine to treat HIV (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), this period can last a decade or longer, but some may progress through this phase faster. People who are taking medicine to treat HIV the right way, every day may be in this stage for several decades because treatment helps keep the virus in check. (Read more about HIV treatment.)

It’s important to remember that people can still transmit HIV to others during this phase even if they have no symptoms, although people who are on ART and stay virally suppressed (having a very low level of virus in their blood) are much less likely to transmit HIV than those who are not virally suppressed.

PROGRESSION TO AIDS

If you have HIV and you are not on ART, eventually the virus will weaken your body’s immune system and you will progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

The late stage of HIV infection.
Symptoms can include:

Rapid weight loss.
Recurring fever or profuse night sweats.
Extreme and unexplained tiredness.
Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck.
Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week.
Sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals.
Pneumonia.
Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids.
Memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders.

Let it be noted that Each of these symptoms can also be related to other illnesses. So the only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested.

How is HIV spread?

HIV can spread only in certain body fluids from a person infected with HIV:
Blood
Semen
Pre-seminal fluids
Rectal fluids
Vaginal fluids
Breast milk

The spread of HIV (called HIV transmission) is only possible if these fluids come in contact with a mucous membrane or damaged tissue or are directly injected into the bloodstream (from a needle or syringe). Mucous membranes are found inside the rectum, the vagina, the opening of the penis, and the mouth.  

In the United States, HIV is spread mainly by having sex or sharing injection drug equipment ("works"), such as needles, with someone who has HIV.

HIV can also spread from an HIV-infected woman to her child during pregnancy, childbirth (also called labor and delivery), or breastfeeding. This spread of HIV is called mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

In the past, some people were infected with HIV after receiving a blood transfusion or organ or tissue transplant from an HIV-infected donor. Today, this risk is very low because donated blood, organs, and tissues are carefully tested in the United States.

You can’t get HIV from casual contact with a person infected with HIV, for example from a handshake, a hug, or a closed-mouth kiss. And you can’t get HIV from contact with objects such as toilet seats, doorknobs, or dishes used by a person infected with HIV.

How can I reduce my risk of getting HIV?

Anyone can get HIV, but you can take steps to protect yourself from HIV infection.

Get tested and know your partner’s HIV status. Talk to your partner about HIV testing and get tested before you have sex.

Have less risky sex. Oral sex is much less risky than anal or vaginal sex. Anal sex is the most risky type of sex for HIV transmission.

Use condoms. Use a condom correctly every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Read this fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to use condoms correctly.

Limit your number of sexual partners. The more partners you have, the more likely you are to have a partner with HIV whose HIV is not well controlled or to have a partner with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Both of these factors can increase the risk of HIV transmission. If you have more than one sexual partner, get tested for HIV regularly.

Get tested and treated for STDs. Insist that your partners get tested and treated too. Having an STD can increase your risk of becoming infected with HIV or spreading it to others.

Talk to your health care provider about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is an HIV prevention option for people who don’t have HIV but who are at high risk of becoming infected with HIV. PrEP involves taking a specific HIV medicine every day. PrEP should always be combined with other prevention options, such as condoms. For more information, read the AIDSinfo fact sheet on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

Don’t inject drugs. But if you do, use only sterile drug injection equipment and water and never share your equipment with others.