Kadjebi records 69 new HIV/AIDS cases

Kadjebi District in the Oti Region, has recorded 69 new HIV/AIDS cases between January and September this year. 

The figure includes, 62 in general population and seven pregnant women, while 25 babies are on prophylaxis with the District’s HIV and AIDS status prevalence cases pegged at 2,207. 

Mr Eric Nana Takyi, the District Director of Health Services, disclosed this at the observation of 2022 World HIV and AIDS Day at Kadjebi. 

It was held on the theme: “20 Years of Multi-sectoral HIV Response: Accelerating Pogress to End AIDS”. 

Mr Courage Nutornutsi, the District Health Nutrition Officer who read the Director’s speech, said the day aimed to create awareness and drum home key messages towards elimination of AIDS by 2030. 

He said one could contract the disease through unprotected sex with a positive person, blood-to-blood contact and exposure to HIV before or during birth or through breastfeeding and that those with multiple sexual partners were at high risk of contracting the disease. 

Mr Nutornutsi said the disease is real and that many people are living with it without showing any symptoms for 10 years or more. 

The Nutrition Officer added that the symptoms varied from person-to-person and that some people who had HIV report having flu-like symptoms between two-four weeks after exposure while others developed fever, headache, rash, muscle aches, joint pain, diarrhea, among others. 

On preventive measures against the virus, he said total abstinence, being faithful and used of condom was the surest way in preventing the disease. 

Mr Nutornutsi advised the populace to get tested to know their status as ARVs (antiretroviral) are free in all health facilities. 

He named unwillingness to be on medication, non-drug adherence, wrong address by clients, among others as some of the challenges they faced from patients and asked them to adhere to medications regimen for it help reduced viral load. 

Source: GNA