Ahead of the February 14 valentine’s day celebration, the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Gambo Aliyu has urged Nigerian youths to abstain from unprotected sex during the season.
The DG NACA disclosed this in a statement signed by the agency’s Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Toyin Aderiabe on Monday stating that the season gives rise to the highest number of people infected with the HIV/AIDS disease.
Aliyu had earlier revealed that Nigeria currently has a total number of 1.9 million people living with the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV).
However, due to the increasing rate of HIV/AIDS in the country, the DG NACA pleaded with Nigerians most especially the youths to abstain from indiscriminate sexual activities during this season to curtail the growth of the disease in the country.
Aliyu said “This occasion, though significant in the lives of people globally, brings a lot of cause to worry about, as the expression of love, especially among adolescents, youths, and other diverse populations most often falls out of context.
“As we express love for our partners during this Valentine’s Day, remember to love wisely. As members of a wider society, your health and productivity count to both your nuclear and extended families and the entire country.
“Nigeria stands to benefit greatly from your contributions. So, I urge you to desist from practices that might expose you to risks of contracting HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases as we commemorate this special day. Once again, I urge you to love wisely, share love, and not the virus,” the statement reads.
Aliyu also stated that about 4.2 per cent of the population infected with HIV are young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years.
He said, “The new HIV infections is highest among young people aged 15-24 years and with the national data suggesting that about 4.2 per cent of young people (ages 15-24) are living with HIV.”
He stated that the statistics are discouraging and urged that condom options should be prioritized and made available as a preventive measure to youths and people of reproductive age who cannot abstain from sex.