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ANAYD collaborates with Sports Ministry, Hopkins University, others on HIV self-testing awareness |

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The Network of Adolescents and Young Persons Development (ANAYD) has launched a campaign, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, John Hopkins University, U.S. and other health and youth development agencies, to raise HIV self-testing awareness in Lagos and other parts of the country.

According to the ANAYD Executive Director, Aaron Sunday, the advertisement for the HIV self-testing kits will help reduce the risk faced by youths, who are most prone to AIDS infection, due to their vulnerable lifestyle. It will also help to monitor their HIV virus status, as well as get well-tailored guidelines to prevent them from falling victims or becoming AIDS patients.

Sunday described the HIV self-testing awareness programme, which was carried out in five local government areas of Lagos, as successful, adding that the volunteers carried out their exercise in sporting arenas, commercial areas and potential environment where people are at high risk of contacting the virus.

Samuel said ANAYD is targeting mostly youths in Nigeria for the AIDS project to ensure the nation gets enough healthy youths, who can build the human capital development of the nation, adding that the organisation set sight to end the scourge by the year 2030 through creating awareness and testing youths who will grow up to form the next generation of the society.

“The HIV Self-Testing awareness carried out by ANAYD is funded with our partners, Ministry of Sports, John Hopkins University Affiliate, Ministry of Health, Lagos AIDS control agency and other bodies.

“The main aim of the self-testing awareness campaign is to make mostly youths understand that they can use a kit, which is cheap and available in every pharmacy, to check their HIV status.”

“The individual can use it at any time. It is oral fluid test, not the usual blood test.

“We observed that about 25 studies on HIV self -testing conducted in Sub Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, none was specially targeted at adolescents and young people that are more vulnerable to HIV.

“Our organisation discovered that youths are usually underserved by traditional HIV testing services in Lagos, Nigeria, due to fear of stigma and inadequate friendly services facilities; therefore, we need to reach them with affordable HIVST and referral services for the youths to make healthy and informed decisions on their daily endeavours,” Sunday said.

He revealed that ANAYD chose Lagos as distribution point for the free 30,000 HIV self-testing kits as part of its campaign because of the large number of youths in the state.

“Over the course of our campaign on self-testing, our volunteers went to Ajeromi- Ifelodun, Amuwo Odofin, Eti- Osa, Lagos Mainland and Ojo and the response was successful.

“We are delighted with the intervention of our stakeholders in the HIV project. Part of our functions is also engaging youths in resourceful financial programmes to keep them away from being victims of AIDS and involving themselves in bad vices in the society. We seek for more funding and hope to cover the HIV self-testing awareness in all the 36 states of the Federation,” he added. 

ANAYD Programme Officer, Isaac Moses and the organisation’s Communication Officer, Oriaku Jennifer, also enjoined youths to keep engaging themselves in HIV self-testing to keep them informed of their health status as they grow older.

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