Cross River State Agency for the
Control of HIV and AIDS has acquired more than three million condoms for
distribution at the Christmas Carnival village in Calabar.
The Director-General of the agency,
Dr. Irene Aniyom, told the News
Agency of Nigeria at
the village in Calabar on Sunday that the measure was to create more awareness
on HIV and check the prevalence level.
She explained that the youths were
targeted in the distribution of condom because they were the active
participants at the annual carnival.
She added that SACA and her partners
would also offer free counselling and test on the scourge during the 32-day
event.
Aniyom advised youths against using
the festival as avenue for sexual activities, warning that “even if they should
indulge in such practice, they should ensure that they use condom”.
She said Calabar South Local
Government Area and Calabar Municipality Local Government had the highest HIV
and AIDS prevalence.
She said 244,106 persons in the state
were currently living with the HIV and AIDS.
She advised tourists and fun seekers
patronising the festival village to avail themselves of the free counseling and
test offered by the agency during the period.
“There is the need for people to take
advantage of the testing and counselling to know their HIV status. This will
enable them to control their excesses,” she said.
The SACA boss stated that Cross River
was one of the states in the country that was making conscious effort to tackle
HIV and AIDS.
“Gov Liyel Imoke is the Chairman of
SACA in our state and he had done so much in supporting the agency. Whatever
achievement we have made, we owe it to him,” she said.