Dearth Of Kits Threatens HIV/AIDS FreeTesting

The continued dearth of HIV testing kits for screening of people and blood samples would hamper free HIV testing, both at hospital and testing and councelling centres in communities.

The coordinator, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Anteretroviral Centre, Ogun State, Professor Phillips Olatunji, explained that some centres now rely on HIV testing materials supplied by government, noting that, “we now have to find other sources of getting kits for screening,” because the materials supplied by government were not enough.

According to him, “the implication of this is that whereas it was free previously, we can no longer guarantee that HIV testing would be free unless we get free kits from the government.”

Professor Olatunji stated that “no matter how small the price put on screening and testing is, it is not every Nigerian who desires or ought to be screened that will eventually be screened.

“The multiplication factor of every HIV positive person who does not know is best imagined, depending on his/her level of sexual activity,” he said

While declaring that donor agencies would not always be available to support HIV treatment and care, Professor Olatunji stated that the HIV pandemic might go out of hand, if Nigeria did not prepare to take over the care and support of people living with HIV/AIDS.

According to him, “HIV is an infectious disease; there is no way our government can run away from supporting people with HIV/AIDS. Government must know that there is an interest for us kickstarting a transition period. “The sentinel survey may be telling us differently, but we do not see a slowing down on the number of persons with HIV coming for care and support.”

Olatunji, acknowledged the efforts of the O O U Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Ogun State, in  ensuring the care and support of HIV clients in the hospital and explained that the hospital,  since last year, had initiated a budget line for HIV to cater for manpower, materials and consumables.

According to him, “all institutions should begin to have a budget for HIV. Once you do not have a budget for anything and the donors go away, then our patients would now have to fend for themselves.”

Meanwhile, he cautioned people living with HIV and currently on antiretroviral therapy to ensure strict adherence to their medications, to ensure that the virus did not overwhelm their system.