Safety Measures During COVID-19 For People Living With HIV
Safety Measures During COVID-19 For People Living With HIV
With an estimated 8.1 million people living with HIV in Nigeria, as of 2019, according to a report from the National Agency for the control of AIDS in Nigeria, 20,500 persons living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria died in the first two quarters of 2020.
In an exclusive interview with PUNCH HealthWise, NACA Director-General, Dr. Gambo Aliyu, partly blamed the high mortality on lack of access to treatment and the disruption of medical services brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. He feared that the number of deaths among PLWHA may worsen if the disruption to HIV/AIDS treatment persists for another six months.
The COVID-19 is an infectious disease, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome, it affects various people in different ways, everyone is at risk! young, old, every gender, race, especially people with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, and people living with HIV who default in taking their Antiretroviral drugs.
The Covid-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from an infected person.
For People Living with HIV to Stay Safe, Practice Social distancing, personal healthy hygiene, wash your hands with soap and water or disinfect your hands and surfaces with alcohol-based substance, cough or sneeze into a flexed elbow, comply with the appropriate use of face-mask, avoid crowded places, stock up an adequate supply of antiretroviral drugs to avoid being at risk of getting infected by the coronavirus disease. If you notice any symptoms, self-isolate and contact www.ncdc.gov.ng also visit the healthcare centre near you or in the local government where you are registered to be administered the Antiretroviral Drug.
Stay informed, protect yourself!………
