HEALTH EDUCATION PLATFORM

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

This platform has been developed to serve the purpose of protecting and improving health through education, promotion of healthy lifestyle and presenting outcome of research for diseases and  bringing it close home. Public health news and gossips will be featured, action and inaction of people with its  attendant health implications will be featured and there will be focus on behavioural change. For the next few days we will be concentrating on HIV/AIDS and your safety.

 

WORLD AIDS DAY – December 1st 2013

For the past few decades, this modern-day plague has been devastating the health of millions of people around the world, bringing despair and creating such social and economic instability—particularly in Africa—that in 2000 the UN Security Council identified HIV as a global security threat. An estimated 35 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. New HIV infections are declining globally, with nearly three-fourths of the 2.3 million new HIV infections worldwide occurring in sub-Saharan African countries.

World AIDS Day is celebrated on 1 December every year to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and to demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. Between 2011-2015, World AIDS Day has the theme: "Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths".

The WHO’s focus for the 2013 campaign is improving access to prevention, treatment and care services for adolescents (10-19 years), a group that continues to be vulnerable despite efforts so far.

FACT SHEETS ABOUT HIV/AIDS

Ref: WHO Media centre site

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Key facts

• HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed more than 36 million lives so far.
• There were approximately 35.3 [32.2–38.8] million people living with HIV in 2012.
• Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected region, with nearly 1 in every 20 adults living with HIV. Sixty nine per cent of all people living with HIV are living in this region.
• HIV infection is usually diagnosed through blood tests detecting the presence or absence of HIV antibodies.
• There is no cure for HIV infection. However, effective treatment with antiretroviral drugs can control the virus so that people with HIV can enjoy healthy and productive lives.
• In 2012, more than 9.7 million people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low- and middle-income countries.

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Statistics of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

·         Information available from National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA)puts HIV prevalence among the Nigerian population at 3.6 per cent.

·         National median prevalence among pregnant women is 4.1 per cent

·         About 3.1 million people are living with HIV in Nigeria

·         About 300,000 new infections occur annually with people aged 15-24 contributing 60 per cent of the new infections

·         1.5million people living with HIV require ARVs using the new WHO guidelines

·         Only 30 per cent of people living with HIV who need antiretoviral (ARVs) have access to it.

·         Less than 30 per cent of pregnant women have access to PMTCT services

Women, Girls and HIV

·         HIV is the leading cause of death and disease among women of reproductive age (15-49 years)

·         In sub-Saharan African, 60% per cent of the people living with HIV are female

·         In Nigeria, prevalence among young women aged 15-24 years is estimated to be three times higher than among men of the same age.

·         Females constitute 58 per cent (about 1.72 million) of persons living with HIV in Nigeria.

·         Each year, 55 per cent of AIDS deaths occur among women and girls.