If you think you could have HIV/AIDS you need to check this out
– A new rapid test device will be offered to the public to test for HIV
– The device is designed to prevent mother to child HIV transmission
– It will also test for the presence of Syphilis and AIDS
Alere Healthcare Services Ltd has launched an HIV/Syphilis point of care rapid test duo device to help enhance optimal screening of the dreaded virus during antennal care, as well as to successfully prevent mother to child transmission.
Ninety per cent of HIV infections to children are from mother to child transmission during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding.
Transmission can be prevented by testing, counseling and medical care, even with pregnant women are infected with HIV.
READ ALSO: Kenyan rapper Prezzo publically reveals his HIV status
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Alere Nigeria Ltd, Mrs Aduni Udu, said the device will make it quicker and easier for Nigerians to test if they have HIV.
“The old device use to take about five hours before the result test can be produced, as a result of viral load.
“But, with the revolutionary technology now available in the country, it takes no more than 45 minutes to get the result and this makes it easier to counsel and provide medical care to the patient at the point of testing.”
Millions of people in Nigeria do not know they have HIV
She stressed that it was important for patients to know their status, considering the fact that individuals who are unaware of their infection were 3.5 times more likely to transmit the virus to someone else.
“Screening and treatment of women positive for syphilis, in prevention of MTCT of HIV programmes in the context of integrated antenatal care is critical to improve maternal and neonatal health, and contribute to prevention of HIV transmission.”
“Integrating a new rapid syphilis test into prenatal care and HIV testing would prevent congenital syphilis cases and stillbirths. Rapid syphilis test integrated into PMTCT of HIV which is already set up would be more attractive than separate vertical program,” she said.
READ ALSO: More men die of AIDS in Nigeria – UNIC boss
The news comes soon after it was revealed the National Agency for the Control of AIDS has launched a new campaign to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people.
Director General of the agency, Prof John Idoko said over a third of Nigeria’s population are young people and quite a proportion of them have HIV but are not aware of it.
The post If you think you could have HIV/AIDS you need to check this out appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.