The Oyo state government has called on pregnant women to undergo HIV test to determine their status.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Ibadan by the commissioner for information and civic orientation, Dotun Oyelade.

The statement indicated that Gbola Adetunji, chairman, Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OYSACA), made the call on Sunday during a campaign organised to commemorate the 2024 World AIDS Day.

The theme of the 2024 World AIDS Day is “Take the Right Paths: Sustain HIV Response and Stop HIV among Children”,

Mr Adetunji, who equally urged pregnant women in the state to register for ante-natal care, noted that Nigeria contributed significantly to the global HIV burden, particularly among children.

“Every pregnant woman in the state should undergo HIV testing at least twice during pregnancy, during antenatal care and labor, to determine HIV status.

“If tested positive, proper antiretroviral drugs can be administered to prevent the unborn child from contracting the virus,” he said.

The OYSACA boss further explained that “In 2020, according to UNICEF, Nigeria accounted for a substantial number of new child HIV infections worldwide, with an estimated 21,000 new infections, the highest globally.

“Nigeria has the third- largest HIV burden in the world, after Mozambique and South Africa, with an HIV prevalence of 2.9 per cent among pregnant women,” he said.

He maintained that ending AIDS entailed “prioritising and engaging everyone who’s living with, at risk for, or affected by HIV.

“This includes vulnerable and marginalised populations such as children, men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who use drugs, sex workers, and people in prisons and other closed settings.

“This is essential to ensure an effective and sustainable response to HIV that honors the right to health,” he stated.

Mr Adetunji admonished the general public to refrain from stigmatising people living with HIV/AIDS but rather support them and show them love.

He encouraged the general public to take advantage of the free HIV testing during the commemoration of World AIDS Day to get tested and work toward ending HIV/AIDS by 2030.

He said people living with HIV could live long in good health, “just like those who are HIV-negative if diagnosed early with consistent antiretroviral therapy.”

(NAN