BENIN CITY – As part of activities to mark this year’s World Aids Day celebration in Edo State,the state Agency for the control of HIV/AIDS (EDOSACA), has taken its sensitization and Awareness campaign on the prevention and control of the disease to Church.
Speaking at the District Headquarters of the Living Faith Church (A.k.a Winners Chapel), Saint Saviour on Sunday, the Executive Director of the Agency, Mrs. Flora Oyakhilomen reiterated the need for Citizens to know their HIV status, adding that early detection is a panacea for the prevention and control of the ailment.
Mrs. Oyakhilomen who was accompanied by other officials of the organisation, said the Agency decided to take the Sensitisation Campaign to Churches because of the important role the Church play in reaching out to its Congregation in terms of information dissemination.
Emphasing the need for individual to be cautious of the spread of the dreaded disease, Mrs. Oyakhilomen reminded the congregation that HIV is real, informing that having personal contacts with an infested person does not automatically translate to contacting the ailment mostly when you are not engage in risking immoral behaviour.
According to her, “HIV is not contagious as some persons may believe, you can stay, live and eat with somebody that is infected without you contacting the disease except when you get yourself involved in an unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person or through the use of sharp objects already used by carrier of the disease”
Advising pregnant women to always make it mandatory to test for HIV during pregnancy, the Executive Director however enthused that pregnant women should avoid Hospitals or Clinics that does not have facility for HIV testing in order to protect the unborn Child.
Explaining the reason for the visit of the Agency to the winners family for its sensitisation, Mrs. Oyakhilomen informed that December 2nd every year has been set aside by the world Health Organisation ( WHO) for the celebration of the World Aids Day and during the period alot of sensitisation are done by the Agency to inform the general public on the need to know their HIV status, stressing that this year’s celebration will mark the 33rd anniversary of the celebration since its inception in 1988.
Said she, “every year, a day is set aside to mark the Aids Day celebration through Awareness and sensitisation campaign as well as free HIV testing to members of the willing public in order for them to know their HIV status”
High point of the Agency’s sensitisation visit to the Church was the conduct of free HIV test to members of the worship centre.
