HIV: Group Raises Awareness On Self-testing, Facilitates Access To Kits For Students

In an effort to address the growing need for HIV awareness, Mozuk Future Solutions, JSI Research and Training Institute (JSI), and other development partners have taken self-testing and prevention campaign to students through the OraQuick Campus Storm.

The campaign, being part of the Adolescent and Young People (AYP) outreach program, held at various educational institutions focuses on bridging the knowledge gap among young people, who are identified as the most vulnerable group to HIV.

Speaking during its latest outreach at the FCT College of Education, Zuba, FCT, Program Officer, JSI, Rifkatu Ademola, emphasised the need for young people to know their HIV status to protect themselves and others, adding that the convenience and privacy of self-testing, makes it easier for students and adolescents to know their status.

“HIV is out there, we all know. Get to know your status; it is really important. Such awareness will help you to spread the word and not the virus. By knowing what to do, you’ll be able to cut the chain, educate your family, your friends, and your loved ones around you.” she said.

“Through this innovation, they will be able to test themselves and know their status conveniently at their own comfort,” Ademola explained.

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She stressed the importance of prevention, encouraging students to practice abstinence, use protection, and regularly check their status.

“Abstinence is the ultimate, but then know your status, use protection, and stay away from the virus,” she added.

Furthermore, Ademola advocated for collaborative efforts in support of innovations that make HIV testing accessible and affordable to vulnerable groups, particularly adolescents. She noted that such measures could help young people learn their status conveniently from the comfort of their homes.

“These innovations must be accessible, affordable, and easily available to a multitude of populations,” she added.

On his part, the Product Manager, OraQuick, and the team lead for the outreach, Harry Omoakhia, highlighted the high prevalence of HIV among adolescents. He revealed that 34.2 percent of new HIV infections in the region occur among adolescents and young people, making this demographic a critical focus for the campaign.

“In Western and Central Africa, Nigeria has the highest prevalence of HIV among adolescent people,” he stated.

Omoakhia emphasised the challenges adolescents face in accessing care through traditional healthcare settings, citing stigmatisation and judgmental attitudes from health workers. Hence the need for a campaign that takes HIV education and self-testing kits directly to students on their campuses.

“We bring the message to them, where they are comfortable in their campuses, and tell them about HIV, preventive measures, and testing,” he said.

“With this, they can now test themselves in the comfort of their house, know their status, and take the next step to seek support or treatment,” Omoakhia added.

Test kits were distributed to students during the outreach, ensuring accessibility and affordability.

A beneficiary and student of the college, Rashida Muazu, expressed her appreciation for the campaign, highlighting its impact on her understanding of HIV prevention and self-testing.

“Today, I learned a lot,” she said. “I learned how to use the test kit and that I can do my own HIV test by myself at my convenience.” She also emphasised the importance of total abstinence and screening blood before transfusions as effective ways to prevent HIV.

In addressing stigmatisation, Muazu urged fellow students to support HIV-positive individuals rather than ostracise them. “Not stop talking to the person because he’s HIV positive, not stop association,” she explained, urging peers to seek medical support and raise awareness to foster a supportive and healthy environment for all.