SACA Distributes Condoms In C’River

The Cross River State Action Committee on HIV and AIDS
(SACA) ,said last Sunday that the committee distributed one million condoms
within the 48 hours of the 8th Obudu
International Mountain Race.

Speaking
with newsmen at the resort, the Director-General,  Mrs Irene Aniyom, said that the committee
also conducted HIV and AIDS tests and counselling during the event to ensure
that citizens, participants, athletes, officials and visitors were properly
counselled and tested.

She
said that 160 persons were tested on the eve of the grand finale of the race
out of which four tested positive.

“They
come in willingly to our stand. We also have interpersonal relations; young
people interacting, talking with people one-on-one and also encouraging them to
come over for HIV and AIDS counselling and testing.

“We
cannot tell you whether the rate is increasing or decreasing but we can tell
you that there is a lot of awareness
and because of this, much more people are coming out willingly to be tested; it
was not so before now.

“There is a relationship between HIV and sports and life
because it is something that can happen to anybody. There is high level of
interaction and awareness even here at the ranch and the mountain race.

“If you follow the last Olympics, billions of condoms were
distributed and it is a clear strategy against the infiltration of HIV and AIDS
into sports.

“And that is what we are working towards achieving in Cross
River. Sports brings people together and in 2014 we will be hosting the
National Sports Festival and we are going to be sure that we try to do that,’’
she said.

“The
8th Obudu International Mountain Race was rounded
off at the Ranch Mountain Resort, Cross River
State last Saturday.