3 Million Condoms To Be Distributed For Calabar Festival
Cross River State Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS has acquired
more than three million condoms for distribution at the Christmas
Carnival village in Calabar.
The Director-General of the agency, Dr. Irene Aniyom, told the News
Agency of Nigeria at the village in Calabar on Sunday that the measure
was to create more awareness on HIV and check the prevalence level.
She explained that the youths were targeted in the distribution of
condom because they were the active participants at the annual carnival.
She added that SACA and her partners would also offer free counselling and test on the scourge during the 32-day event.
Aniyom advised youths against using the festival as avenue for sexual
activities, warning that “even if they should indulge in such practice,
they should ensure that they use condom”.
She said Calabar South Local Government Area and Calabar Municipality Local Government had the highest HIV and AIDS prevalence.
She said 244,106 persons in the state were currently living with the HIV and AIDS.
She advised tourists and fun seekers patronising the festival village to
avail themselves of the free counseling and test offered by the agency
during the period.
“There is the need for people to take advantage of the testing and
counselling to know their HIV status. This will enable them to control
their excesses,” she said.
The SACA boss stated that Cross River was one of the states in the
country that was making conscious effort to tackle HIV and AIDS.
“Gov Liyel Imoke is the Chairman of SACA in our state and he had done so
much in supporting the agency. Whatever achievement we have made, we
owe it to him,” she said.